Objective 4
| All sites (including office buildings) must have an approved and implemented energy efficiency plan. For sites with an energy consumption of more than 75,000 gigajoules per year, a numerical target based upon BAT (“best available techniques balancing the costs to the operator against the benefits to the environment”) is required. |
The scope of this objective includes all industrial sites as well as the two main office buildings. Thirty-six percent of the sites have an energy efficiency plan in place compared to 34% in 2006. Elements of these plans include a detailed analysis of energy consumption, the identification of a relevant output measure, process optimization, more energy efficient lighting and staff awareness programmes. Forty-eight percent of the sites are now implementing this plan, up from 30% in 2006 (figure 4).
The main sites in Belgium and the Netherlands have already submitted their energy plans in accordance with the conditions of a covenant agreed with the regional governments. Umicore, together with Cumerio, is constructing a new “Combined Heat and Power” (CHP) plant at the companies’ adjacent sites in Olen, Belgium. This investment allows a further gain in energy efficiency of some 10%. The new investment will also help to achieve further reductions in CO2 emissions.
The “Operations Support” service located in Hanau has developed a roadmap to provide assistance to the sites worldwide in implementing this objective.
Seventeen sites had an energy consumption exceeding 75,000 giga joules (ref. 2006). These sites have set a numerical reduction target in terms of energy efficiency as required by the objective. These targets use different “measures of output” (e.g. energy use per piece or energy use per tonne produced) relevant to the type of activity and will be followed up at site level.
Umicore on the way to sustainability