Tackling Carbon Emissions in Flat Glass Business
Allen Norris
Director environment, health and safety
"The climate is changing. While the scientists discuss it and the politicians argue, we are planning ahead. When we are locating new plants, we ask about flood levels and drainage requirements. If sea levels rise, will it damage our plants or our employees' homes? Assessing the carbon emissions from our activities is becoming routine. Such environmental concerns form part of our business plans. I hope everyone will participate in our activities to reduce carbon emissions."
The Group's Pilkington businesses were responsible for 4.3 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2007. The total mass of CO2 emission has slightly increased for the last 5 years as the company has expanded its production capacity to meet the increasing demand for flat glass worldwide.
However, the Pilkington operation in Europe has succeeded in reducing CO2 emissions per ton of glass by 6.6 per cent over the past 3 years-significantly better than its 6 per cent target. Carbon trading improved that reduction to 8 per cent.
Conversion from heavy oil to natural gas as the preferred fuel to melt glass, has contributed to almost halving carbon emissions over the last 40 years.
Reductions have been achieved by a combination of actions: improving design fuel efficiency and operation of furnaces, improved heat recovery and increasing the recycling of glass cullet are just some examples.
We have also developed products specifically designed to be used to contribute to emissions reductions made by society as a whole. Energy saving and solar control glass for high insulating glazing systems and glass for use in solar panels are just two such products we offer.
Carbon trading
Carbon trading in EU (Cap and Trade)
- To honor its commitment under the Kyoto protocol, the EU set upper limits to the CO2 emissions of each Member State. These limits are reduced with time. To support this activity the EU established a carbon trading scheme, the EUETS. The first phase runs from 2005 to 2007 and the second will run from 2008 to 2012. Although referred to as a 'carbon' trading scheme what is actually traded are allowances to emit carbon dioxide. The units are tonnage of CO2 equivalent.
- Each Member State (Country) produces a National Allocation Plan which allocates a maximum emission figure (cap) to individual company sites. Within each phase, if a site emits less than its allocated cap it can sell the excess credits (trade), but if it exceeds the cap it has to purchase credits (allowances) from the market. Overall the national emissions must not exceed the limits set by the EU. This system allows companies to respond to their customer's requirements but at the same time meet emissions targets. The price of CO2 per ton was around 4,000 yen in late 2006.
- The Group's Pilkington business handles carbon trading centrally. The gap between the limits (allocated cap) and actual achievement of emissions on each site is closely monitored. Trading is used to ensure that every site retains sufficient allowances for its needs and that costs are minimized.
Links
- Environmental Polices
- Environmental Targets Progress Report
- Material Balance of Operations
- NSG Group's Environmental Management
- Minimization of Environmental Impact
- Contribution to a Recycling-Oriented Society
- Tackling Carbon Emissions in Flat Glass Business
