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Energy Use & Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Large businesses like ours have an important contribution to make in cutting global GHG emissions and reducing the risk of climate change. Our climate change position statement is available on our website and sets out our commitment to reducing GHGs. We have made significant reductions in our carbon emissions since our 2014 baseline year.

Scope 3 Emissions

During 2023, we carried out a complete global scope 3 assessment to establish a full GHG baseline for our 2022 scope 3 emissions, for the first time. This involved the calculation of ten out of the 15 scope 3 categories with a particular focus on upstream emission categories. The remaining five were excluded on the basis that they were either not applicable or not required. We were able to source a significant amount of consumption data, which allowed a process-based approach to be taken for most of the scope 3 categories. This provided greater accuracy than a spend-based approach, which limits insights on actual supply chain performance.

For our 2022 reporting period, our combined GHG emissions were 2,497,579 tCO2e. Scope 3 emissions accounted for 96.7%, scope 1 for 1.8% and scope 2 for 1.6% of this number. Going forward, as a result of these efforts, we now have a robust GHG emissions baseline, from which to develop a decarbonization pathway.

2023 Performance

In 2023, our total absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions saw a slight increase of 0.4% when compared to 2022, however they have decreased by 35% since 2014. Although our total reported intensity scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per metric tonne of products increased by 11% since 2022, overall they have decreased by 48% since 2014.

In 2023, 12 of our 13 manufacturing facilities procured 100% renewable electricity. The outlier facility is located on an industrial complex which does not offer renewable electricity contracts. Renewable energy accounts for 19% of our total energy mix.
  • Energy Use
  • Absolute GHG Emissions
  • GHG Emissions
Despite several facilities reducing their absolute energy consumption in 2023, the overall reduction in production volume was greater. Our production plants aim to use energy as efficiently as possible, but they need a minimum amount of energy to operate. Where production volumes fall below optimum levels this has an adverse impact on consumption and consequently emissions data. For 2023, this resulted in a 7% increase in energy use per tonne of product since 2022 and an 18% increase since 2014.
Our scope 1 emissions decreased by 1.6% when compared to 2022. As anticipated, the reduction seen in scope 1 emissions at most of our facilities was offset by the startup of the new combined heat and power plant at our Ellesmere Port, UK site in the latter part of 2023. Initially powered by natural gas, the plant has been designed so that it can be converted to operate on an intermediary 20% hydrogen blend and in the longer-term, 100% low-carbon hydrogen, as soon as this becomes available. However, in the short term has resulted in an increase in natural gas consumption compared to previous years. Safety improvements made to the hyper compressor at our Leuna, manufacturing plant in Germany and two planned shutdowns of the on-site boiler at our St Mihiel site in France, resulted in an increase in purchased steam. As a result, our overall Scope 2 emissions increased by 5% when compared to 2022. Without this change in approach, which we expect to have a better long-term impact on energy and GHG reduction, our reported absolute scope 2 GHG emissions would have decreased by 10% and our reported intensity scope 2 GHG emissions per metric tonne of product by 11%.

Resource Reduction Group

Established in 2016, our Global Resource Reduction Group (RRG) was set up to develop and share best practice across our 13 manufacturing sites. Its global remit encompasses large capital investments, company-wide projects, and local initiatives. We have a dedicated energy reduction fund to support major projects where the payback period is longer than normal.

The group, which meets up to three times a year, continued to deliver and maintain a pipeline of energy reduction projects in 2023. Going forward, these activities are forecast to reduce our annual energy consumption by over 2,161 MWh and our total group scope 1 and 2 emissions by 98 metric tonnes CO2 equivalent.

Reducing Our Emissions

The energy reduction projects and activities implemented in 2023 are forecast to reduce our annual energy consumption by over 2,161 MWh and reduce our total group scope 1 and 2 emissions by 98 metric tonnes CO2 equivalent.

Activities introduced in 2023 to further improve our energy efficiency and reduce our GHG emissions included:
  • St Mihiel, France
  • Vernon, France
  • Leuna, Germany
  • Castiglione, Italy

St Mihiel, France

The upgrading of three GRP tanks at our St Mihiel site, with more efficient, greater insulated stainless steel tanks, will provide annual savings of 420 MWh of gas. Additionally, the site optimized its procedures by recovering heat from waste steam condensate and repurposing it to preheat the makeup water for boilers. This is expected to save 250 MWh of gas annually.

Vernon, France

The full renovation of the admin building roof and installation of improved insulation at our Vernon site will save 20,164 kWh of gas per year.

Leuna, Germany

Our Leuna site upgraded its production building lighting system with LED replacements resulting in an annual saving of 21,810 kWh of electricity.

Castigliogne, Italy

To reduce gas consumption at our Castiglione site, the aging boiler gas burners were replaced with more efficient units saving 2,424 MWh of gas annually. To further reduce emissions, the site crane was replaced with an electric vehicle and the replacement of existing air compressors, with an improved set up, led to enhanced optimization and reduced consumption, saving 36,000 kWh of electricity annually.

  • Barcelona, Spain
  • Oklahoma, USA
  • Salisbury, NC, USA
  • Ellesmere Port, UK

Barcelona, Spain

The replacement and upgrade to the aging insulation in the steam and condensate system at our Barcelona site will provide savings of 514 MWh of gas annually. The replacement of a cooling water pump with a more efficient unit is expected to save 61,826 kWh of electricity annually.

Oklahoma, US

Our Oklahoma, US site continued its program of enhancing the efficiency of the lighting on site by installing LED lighting in the warehouse and office, which is expected to save 41,007 kWh of electricity each year.

Salisbury, NC, USA

The site installed a new flaker return water precooling system, helping to reduce the energy needed to cool water on a key solid surfactant processing line and providing electricity savings of 89,647 kWh per year.

Ellesmere Port, UK

The site installed a new small solar and wind power energy station which generates power for charging electric vehicles on site. They also installed a new, more efficient, glycol chiller system that is expected to provide annual electricity savings of 631 MWh.

Construction began on a new Energy Center to replace the existing site boilers, including a more efficient 4MWe (megawatt electric) combined heat and power plant. This will generate electricity for the site, steam for process operations and hot water for space heating. The plant has been designed so it can be converted to operate on an intermediary 20% hydrogen blend and 100% low-carbon hydrogen, as soon as this becomes available.

The manufacturing site installed a new cooling water variable speed distribution (VSD) pump, leading to annual electricity savings of 602 MWh.