21 Amazing Answers to the Next Big Thing: Energy Efficiency
Transcription
21 Amazing Answers to the Next Big Thing: Energy Efficiency
Amazing Answers to the Next Big Thing: Energy Efficiency Cover illustration: PICFOUR Contents Editorial Dr. Klaus Engel: Sustainable solutions for global challenges 2 Foreword Dr. Arend Oetker on the next big wave 1. Motoring without Exhaust Super technology for batteries 8 15. Sturdy Sandwiches A rigid foam solves the toughest problems 36 8. Smart Heads Hydrogen peroxide—a product with potential 22 16. Focus on a Climate Killer Bacteria that metabolize greenhouse gases 38 9. Glass to Keep Plants Warm Greenhouses use less energy 24 17. Brainstorming Factory The Eco2 S2B Center40 10. Saving Energy with Skin Cream Biotechnology’s advantages are pretty good 26 18. Slim Super Solar Films The search for the solar technology of the future42 2. A House as Easy on the Pocket as on the Environment How energy needs are bottoming out 10 11. Power from the Depths Geothermal energy—a special energy source 28 3. Small Cells Save Energy Special foam for cool refrigerators 12 12. When Less Is More High-efficiency power plants 19. On One’s Own Behalf How Evonik is lowering energy costs44 30 4. Gentle Giants Oil additives that deliver more 14 13. Saving Fuel Is Easy Lightweight cars 32 20. Do It Yourself Evonik employees help cut energy consumption46 5. Solar Silicon and Savings Using less energy to get raw materials 16 14. Diesel from a Nut New ways to the fuel of the future 6. How White Works Using biotechnology to ease dependence on oil 6 7. Environmental Protection Expertise Tires for lower fuel consumption and less CO2 20 34 21. Wood Chips for Power and Heat Waste wood as a fuel for power plants48 Evonik Worldwide Company, Contacts, Credits, Brands50 18 Dr. Arend Oetker, President of the Donors’ Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany, discussing long-term developments and opportunities in his introduction The New Global Wave Photography: Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft To be prepared for the future, it often helps to look at the past. Communication media are constantly getting better, and in recent times, they have changed our world. Developments such as cell phones, the Internet, and high-performance fiber-optic technology have truly revolutionized globalization and the economy over the last few years, in what might be thought of as another industrial revolution. In addition, we have seen the continual development of existing ideas, of technology that is already available and products that are already being delivered. Although something may be good today, we’re always asking ourselves whether it can be improved. This is a never-ending economic process that we can influence and control to a considerable extent: a real industrial evolution. At present, however, neither the opportunities arising from revolutionary economic developments nor the advantages of steady evolutionary economic change are making the headlines. The focus is instead on the alarming problems in the global financial markets and their impact on the economy as a whole—for income, employ ment, investment, social systems, and indeed entire countries. But those who can look beyond the dramatic problems currently facing us have observed something else: The global economic crisis comes exactly at a time when information technology—a major driving force in today’s world—may be perceptibly losing momentum and vitality. Computers entered the scene—and are now standard in billions of homes in industrialized countries. Cell phones made their debut—and are now standard accessories for a very large number of people. A crucial question here is whether the billion-euro IT market is still capable of generating massive spurts of growth. Or is the next megatrend—in an entirely different area—already at our doorstep? Nearly a hundred years ago, the Russian eco nomist Nikolai Kondratiev proposed a theory of long waves to explain the long-term ebb and flow of economic development. According to this theory, variations in the economy occur not in short phases but in cycles extending over decades. The Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter developed Kondratiev’s theory further and identified the key technologies that drive these cycles. The thinking behind this is as follows. A scarcity in a production factor, such as transportation, results in an economic downturn; only the introduction of a new technology can overcome the deficiency and lead to a sustained upswing. The first Kondratiev cycle was driven by industrialization and the invention of the steam engine, and the second by expansion of infrastructure, of the railroad in particular. The third had its origin in electricity and chemistry, and the fourth was dominated by the burgeoning automotive industry. A study of the past reveals that the respective technology leaders did indeed enjoy a real economic boom. As the most productive country of its time, England profited more than any other nation from the invention of the steam engine; Germany’s industrial production performance catapulted the country to the top of the world rankings, thanks to its leading position in the fields of electricity and chemistry. The current and fifth cycle, dominated by information technology, could now be gradually drawing to a close. The million-dollar question, with implications extending far beyond the current economic problems, is this: What will drive the sixth Kondratiev cycle? Those who can answer this question have the opportunity to position themselves today in a steadily rowing market of the future—and enjoy the benefits g possibly for decades together. From the present perspective, the most likely candidate for the sixth Kondratiev may well be energy technologies. The indicators are numerous: The overexploitation of natural resources has led to a scarcity of raw materials; climate change continues at an alarming rate; and the ongoing discussion on the right energy mix shows that energy provision in the future will pose enormous challenges. These problems can be overcome only by systematically saving energy, using more renewable raw materials, and taking advantage of new technologies for improved energy efficiency. But new technologies are not developed in a matter of days. Indeed, research and development take years. So it’s all the more important to get an early start. Anyone who wants to break into the new market should already have worked out the right science. Far-sighted companies shouldn’t settle for merely standing on the sidelines. Those surfers who want to catch the next big wave must prepare themselves in advance—energetically and efficiently. 1. Motoring without Exhaust Photography: William Boyce/Corbis Picture a typical rush-hour scene in a large city at a major junction, where eight roads meet. Cars are lined up bumper to bumper at the traffic lights. But the air is not poisoned with foul-smelling exhaust, and earsplitting engine noise is entirely absent. The future belongs to clean and quiet road traffic, because vehicles have a novel, silent electric drive of unprecedented range. High-efficiency lithium-ion battery technology from Evonik should help realize this vision. The goal is an ambitious one: To replace fossil fuels for automotive engines by alternative energy sources over the long term. Vehicles with electric drives are still relatively rare, but the situation should soon improve: The political will for change in this area is already clearly evident in many countries. Evonik has made considerable progress on the long road to the automotive drive of the future, and has entered into an alliance with Daimler. This represents an innovation in mass production. In conjunction with Daimler, Evonik is gearing up for industrial production of high-tech batteries for passenger cars and utility vehicles that will do away with traditional combustion engines. To this end, automotive experts of both companies are developing a lithium-ion based battery technology. Rechargeable batteries of this type have so far been widely used only in smaller appliances like laptops and cell phones. For more powerful applications, such as automotive drives, the technology has until now suffered from a serious drawback: The batteries were not sufficiently safe. In the event of failure they were liable to overheat and therefore could not be used for automotive drives. Evonik has successfully overcome this obstacle by developing new battery components for cars. At the core of the technology is a novel ultrathin membrane, which ensures that the electrical components in the battery are safely and reliably separated. The membrane consists of a material also used to make coffee cups and flower vases: ceramic. Evonik has developed a separator for lithium-ion batteries that possesses a special ceramic coating. This component clears the way for the electric vehicle of the future—because it is this separator, along with other components, that allows the batteries to achieve hitherto unknown power. And yet each high-tech battery cell is no larger than a wall tile. Large-scale fleet tests of electric cars are already under way in European cities. The vehicles offer clear advantages for people and the environment: noise pollution is negligible, and CO2 emissions from vehicular traffic amount to exactly zero point zero. The Facts The Question: How do we eliminate CO2 emission from vehicular traffic? The Idea: Over the long term, electric engines must replace conventional combustion engines, which use fossil fuels. Evonik’s Response: Using highly innovative components, Evonik is making lithium-ion battery cells for automotive use that are ready to go into production. The Benefits: Sustainable relief of the environmental burden through exhaust-free and quieter cars. 10 photography: frank preuss/evonik industries 2. A House as Easy on the Pocket as on the Environment For tenants and house owners alike, increasing energy prices and horrendous heating costs are a permanent irritant. But a fortunate few can face the situation with equanimity. Evonik’s Three-Liter House in Düsseldorf shows why. Hans and Marianne Hopp have been living in the building since the early 1970s. Since that time, heating costs have almost doubled. But that was before the refurbishment. The balance sheet now looks much healthier: Tenants consume less than a quarter of the heating energy that was used before the refurbishment, thanks to sophisticated building technology and a thermally insulating building shell. The thickness of the insulating shell on the walls here is 200 millimeters (mm), as opposed to the usual 100 to 120 mm. The windows are triple glazed. A gas-fired mini cogeneration plant (CHP) in the basement provides heat, power, and hot water. Photovoltaic systems on the roof also produce electricity that is fed into the grid, providing an additional pay-back. Heat produced in the low-energy house is repeatedly reused. Fresh air flows into the apartment through decentralized ventilation systems, rather than through an open window. Spent air is expelled from the building, warming the fresh air to a comfortable temperature by means of a heat exchanger. The post-refurbishment balance sheet for energy savings speaks for itself. The annual primary energy requirement had previously been 287 kilowatt-hours per square meter (kWh/m2). This figure comprises the energy needed to provide the apartment with heating and hot water, and also includes the energy required for transporting and handling the energy source. The current figure is just 36 kWh. The name “Three-Liter House” was inspired by the fuel-conserving threeliter car. And the environment benefits, too. Before the building was improved, about 82 kilograms (kg) of CO2 per m2 of living space were generated annually, as opposed to the current -10.5 kg of CO2 per m2. This surprising but healthy “negative balance” is the result of consuming smaller amounts of fossil fuels than before. Moreover, power generation using photovoltaics and block CHP plants makes generation of energy, and thus of CO2, unnecessary in other places. So that the negative result is a big plus for the environment. The Facts The Question: How can energy costs for tenants and home-owners be reduced? The Idea: Various building technologies and modes of operation are optimally combined to reduce energy requirements. Evonik’s Response: Evonik refurbished a 1960s building to such an extent that energy costs were drastically reduced— and the house now actually suppresses more climate-damaging CO2 emissions than it produces itself. The Benefits: The primary energy requirement fell from 287 to 36 kWh per m2. 11 3. Small Cells Save Energy photography: evonik industries To minimize electricity costs for keeping beer cold and food fresh, Evonik’s researchers are working on the right additives for improved insulating foams in refrigerators. 12 The ideal insulating foam for refrigerators is initially in the liquid state, filling every curve and corner around the egg tray and bottle rack. It then solidifies, with no holes or inhomogeneities, but only the finest pores, like a child’s delicate skin. Polyurethane rigid foam is the most efficient insulating material for refrigerators that is currently known. It is normally produced from two chemical raw materials. To opti mize its properties, substances known as additives must be mixed in. Among the most important additives are foam stabilizers, such as are developed in Evonik’s laboratories. The stabilizers have three key tasks. They make it possible to mix the two major components of the foam. And they generate a mass of bubbles that will give rise, after the foam has hardened, to a very fine cell structure; these small cells insulate particu larly efficiently. Additives also stabilize the foam while it is still liquid and expanding. In this way it can flow into every corner of the refrigerator walls with out developing holes or cracks. A team of researchers in Essen is working with Evonik customers to increase the insulating capacity of the foam by 10 percent. The customers in this case are normally system vendors that supply refriger ator manufacturers with the appropriate mixture of raw materials providing the base for industrial pro duction of insulation material. Evonik has so far developed about 50 different stabilizers for this application. The figure also in dicates that it is not all about a single simple standard, but that the knowledge of specialists is required for delivering custom solutions. Stabilizers are one decisive key for rigid foams, which contribute toward improving energy efficiency. Well-insulated refrig erators make an important contribution to environ mental protection, as is well illustrated by a calculation from the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environ ment, and Energy: If all refrigerators older than ten years were replaced by ordinary appliances of Class A energy efficiency, power consumption in German households could be reduced by 2.5 to 4 percent. And the beer would still be well chilled… The Facts The Question: How can the energy consumption of refrigerators be reduced? The Idea: Refrigerators are being insulated more effectively with novel rigid foams. Evonik’s Response: Evonik is developing foam stabilizers that produce particularly fine cell foam. The Benefits: Small and fine cells provide espe cially effective insulation, which helps save energy. 13 4. Gentle Giants Photography: Karsten Bootmann/Evonik Industries The scene: A farm in the US state of Ohio. A flat expanse of land, a large yellow excavator, and a hill of dirt. The excavator’s shovel takes a bite out of the earth, then rises. The operator turns his machine 180 degrees, drives 30 meters onward, and opens the shovel to discharge its contents. The entire process is repeated, six hours a day, for nine days at a stretch. What’s the point of it all? To answer that question you have to dig a little deeper. Behind the earth-moving activity is a cleverly devised test for hydraulic oils. Hydraulic systems serve to transfer power from one part of a machine to another. This flexible and reliable technology is used for most of the moving parts in vehicles, where hydraulic oils play an important role. But their functioning is complicated by external influences because, no matter what the outside temperature, the hydraulic oil must keep the same viscosity at all times. High-grade oils with special additives are therefore needed to get the best out of a machine; such oils retain their beneficial properties regardless of the temperature. And that’s why the Ohio excavator is being driven around. On certain days, its hydraulic systems operate with standard oil, and on others with an oil that meets Evonik’s specific performance requirements for what is known as MEHF (maximum efficiency hydraulic fluid). The goal is to obtain the best results and the maximum efficiency. Hydraulic oil achieves top performance through the use of additives, which improve the viscosity index and allow decisive improvements in the efficiency of machines. 14 It has been proven, in both the laboratory and the mud and slush of the field, that hydraulic fluids containing Evonik additives significantly improve the performance of hydraulic systems. In the Ohio field trials, the parameters measured were the amount of diesel consumed by the excavator for its work and the number of times it could make the trip with a full shovel from one earth mound to the next. The following results were obtained when the different oils were compared: With the MEHF oil, the excavator consumed about 10 percent less diesel, which reduces operating costs; at the same time it could do more work, increasing the productivity of the hydraulic system. The bottom line: an increase in energy efficiency by up to 25 percent, a result that amply justified the entire effort. The Facts The Question: How can the efficiency of ydraulic equipment be improved? h The Idea: By developing additives that significantly improve the performance of hydraulic systems Evonik’s Response: Evonik has introduced a new industry quality standard for hydraulic fluids: maximum efficiency hydraulic fluid (MEHF) The Benefits: Additives from Evonik ensure that the viscosity of the hydraulic fluids decreases less markedly as the temperature rises. This improves the performance of the fluid, and thus the efficiency of hydraulic power transmission. 15 5. Solar Silicon and Savings Photography: Frank Preuss/Evonik Industries Evonik will effect massive energy savings by expanding its chlorosilane capacities for solar silicon production for the photovoltaics industry —and the company produces silicon, which is in great demand as a raw material, by a new process that uses much less energy than conventional technologies. 16 The photovoltaics industry continues to show healthy growth, fueled by demand for this form of energy generation and government funding programs available in a growing number of countries. But to sustain this growth the solar industry needs silicon—more accurately, polycrystalline silicon. This substance is in great demand because more than 80 percent of all solar modules are based on thin wafers of solar silicon. In collaboration with SolarWorld AG and Joint Solar Silicon (JSSi), the joint venture established by the two partners, Evonik started up a novel production plant with an annual capacity of 850 metric tons at the Rheinfelden site in the Upper Rhine region in 2008. In this way Evonik is contributing toward further increasing the share of alternative energies in power generation—as well as securing a reliable supply of raw material for its partner SolarWorld. Ultrapure polycrystalline silicon is then transported from Rheinfelden to Freiberg, in Saxony, where SolarWorld employees melt it down and allow it to resolidify into ingots. These are then processed to rods and cut into wafers from which SolarWorld fabricates solar cells and modules. But it’s the method, not just quantity, that is of interest. Evonik’s researchers have discovered a new route to solar silicon that consumes significantly less energy than conventional processes. Raw silicon, which is actually abundantly available, must first be converted to ultrapure form before it can be further processed by the solar industry. In the JSSi process, gaseous monosilane is decomposed at high temperatures into its elements, silicon and hydrogen. This requires up to 90 percent less energy than the hitherto commonly used Siemens process. Un doubtedly, the conversion of trichlorosilane into monosilane also requires energy, but the overall energy saving is still an impressive 60 to 80 percent: a perfect example of energy efficiency that pays off. The Facts The Question: How can solar silicon be produced by an energy-saving method? The Idea: Raw silicon is converted to trichloro silane and—this is where the novelty lies— then to monosilane, which is thermally decomposed. The result: silicon of 99.9999 percent purity. Evonik’s Response: Together with its partner SolarWorld, Evonik produces solar silicon by this new process in the Joint Solar Silicon joint venture. The Benefits: At this stage, the process requires up to 90 percent less energy. 17 6. How White Works Photography: Frank Preuss/Evonik Industries As a starting material for production of plastics and basic chemicals, petroleum is right at the top of the list. But oil is becoming scarce and an alternative is urgently needed. Researchers are therefore working on a means of replacing petroleum while simultaneously protecting the environment—which holds out such intriguing possibilities as obtaining material for sports shoes from agricultural crops. 18 Alchemists dreamed for centuries of transmuting lead into gold, a wish that was never fulfilled. Today, their place has been taken by highly trained chemists and biologists, who have equally ambitious goals. But there’s a vital difference—because present-day researchers have already found their philosopher’s stone, in the form of white biotechnology. But much remains to be done before, for example, sugar can be used as a starting material to produce products such as skin creams, shampoos, or even sports shoes. Evonik’s Biotechnology Science-to- Business Center is working along these lines, and does not stop at pure research. It aims rather at marketable products that are simultaneously profitable and energy efficient—and therefore eco-friendly. The way it works is this. Microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, and other fungi are fed with renew able raw materials like sugar cane, from which they will then produce the desired raw materials: monomers for plastics production or oils for the cosmetics industry. The microorganisms have previously been modified, by either breeding or genetic engineering, so as to do precisely what is expected of them. The object of the exercise is to produce a substitute for petroleum, the “black gold” that is currently the most important raw material in the chemical industry. Biotechnological processes have a major advantage over petroleum in that they generally consume significantly less energy and therefore also have a better CO2 balance. Moreover, stocks of renewable raw materials are unlimited. And there are no limits either to the application areas of white biotechnology. It is used in the phar maceutical industry for drug production, in the cosmetics industry for use in creams and shampoos, and in animal nutrition for production of essential amino acids. Almost the only thing it can’t do is turn lead into gold. The Facts The Question: Can petroleum be substituted by bacteria and fungi? The Idea: Production of chemicals and plastics by biological means. Evonik’s Response: The Biotechnology Science-to-Business Center produces plastics and chemicals from renewable raw materials with the help of microorganisms. The Benefits: White biotechnology offers an alternative to the use of petroleum in the chemical industry. CO2 emissions from biotech nological processes are lower, as is energy consumption, and stocks of renewable raw materials are unlimited. 19 Dr. Klaus Engel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik Industries AG Sustainable Solutions for Global Challenges Photography: Evonik Industries Operating all over the world, Evonik is the creative industrial group from Germany and has an idea of the future: to provide custom-tailored solutions in chemicals, energy, and the housing markets. This makes us part of the industry, and we’re very proud of that. We offer specific answers to global challenges. Can we be gentler to our environment, reverse climate change, and still enjoy sustained economic success? Evonik Industries AG responds to such urgent questions posed by society. We’ve developed intelligent system solutions for this purpose. Energy efficiency, the world’s next megatrend, will revolutionize both our society and our economy. Evonik’s researchers and developers are proud to be among the pioneers of this revolution. The twenty-one articles below impressively discuss our results up to now. Revolutions thrive on broad-based contributions. We can rightfully say that we’re at the cutting edge of new trend-setting technologies for the future. Many people worry about climate change, rising energy costs, and increasing shortages caused by dwindling resources. Evonik knows that time is of the essence. The people of the 21st century have to develop concepts to secure the well-being of their own future and that of future generations. They can rely on the innovative power of our industry. Without the chemical industry, life-saving airbags in cars would still be a vision, along with exhaust catalysts or fuel-efficient automotive components. Without efficient power plants, we wouldn’t have any reliable source for light, power, and heat and be able to operate modern hospitals. Media such as the Internet, which allow for global knowledge and equal opportunity, would remain a fantasy. Modern, energy-efficient apartments in which people can live well fulfill another basic need. The special challenges of the current financial and economic crisis show that those who ask the right questions and have the right tools for the future won’t only overcome short-term difficulties, but actually have a good chance to emerge from the crisis with renewed strength. Knowing this, we at Evonik are optimistic. Yours, 7. Environmental Protection Expertise Photography: Stefan Wildhirt/Evonik Industries Tires are high-tech products. Formulating the right rubber blend is what counts, and the tires must satisfy all kinds of demands, in heat, rain, or snow. More power then to the person who can come up with the formulation that optimally balances the three main reinforcing components in rubber compounds: rubber silicas, organosilanes, and carbon blacks. Within the bounds of the “magic triangle of tire performance,” these three components determine the desired properties—a kind of give-and-take between wet grip, abrasion resistance (mileage), and rolling resistance. The silica-silane technology, termed “green tire” technology by the experts, has been a trendsetter for years. With the aid of certain silicon compounds known as organosilanes, it chemically “couples” rubber and silica. In Europe alone, it is used in the tire treads of almost all new passenger cars. This leads to fuel savings of about 5 percent compared to conventional tires, with no loss of durability and improved grip, particularly under wet conditions. A recent development in green-tire technology— a new organosilane—reduces rolling resistance by more than an additional 10 percent, and by almost 40 percent in relation to tires manufactured through some process other than the silica-silane technology developed primarily by Evonik, which is now the market leader. This translates into fuel savings of up to 8 percent. In terms of CO2 emissions, this means that, for a luxury class passenger car, emissions will be 20 r educed from the current 180 grams per kilometer (g/km) down to 165 g/km. With an average mileage of 30,000 km per year, the cost of a new set of tires will have been recouped within just one year. Even at the production stage, the new tires score by significantly reducing environmental load during the production process. Evonik’s Si 363 organosilane, recently launched on the market, reduces VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions during the manufacturing process by more than 80 percent, so costly waste gas treatment is no longer necessary. The Facts The Question: How can you lower fuel c onsumption and CO2 emissions using innovative tire technologies? The Idea: A tire with lower rolling resistance from eco-friendly production Evonik’s Response: New development of tire materials such as the organosilane Si 363. The three most important reinforcing components—rubber silica, organosilanes, and carbon blacks—are accurately determined through Evonik’s own research. Evonik also has the advantage of being the only supplier in the world that also produces all the three components itself. The Benefits: Lower fuel consumption, lower CO2 emissions on the road, and lower VOC emissions in tire production. 21 8. Smart Heads Photography: Evonik Industries For decades, hydrogen peroxide has been a source of charming deceptions: Brunettes use it to turn their hair blond. Even Marilyn Monroe is said to have put her trust in this chemical substance. However, bleaching human hair is only one appli cation for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2): The bulk of global output is supplied to the paper and pulp industry. Evonik is the world’s second-largest producer of this bleaching agent, with production capacity of around 600,000 metric tons a year. Which suggests it might be worth considering what else it could be used for. 22 That triggered a smart idea from Evonik: Why not use this environment-friendly bleaching and oxidizing agent to produce other chemicals such as propylene oxide (PO)? That had never been done before on an industrial scale. Together with the German engineering company Uhde, Evonik developed the HPPO process, a method of generating propylene oxide from propylene and H2O2 with the aid of a catalyst. This technology has several ad vantages over conventional processes: It is environment-friendly, energy-efficient, economical, and does not generate co-products. Propylene oxide is a starting product for polyurethane foams, which are used, for example, as energysaving insulation for refrigerators and buildings. In autos, they are not just used in seats; other applications include lighter-weight instrument panels and bumpers that help cut fuel consumption. The market for PO and its derivatives is growing at a rate of 5 percent or more a year, partly because rising environmental awareness in Asia is boosting demand for insulating foam. However, Evonik does not intend to produce propylene oxide or polyurethane foams itself. Others can do that better. With its partner Uhde, it has licensed HPPO technology to other chemical companies. In 2008 the Korean company SKC started up the world’s first HPPO facility, with a capacity of 100,000 metric tons (t) per year. Evonik supplies around 70,000 t per year of hydrogen peroxide to this plant. Business that benefits Evonik and the environment. The Facts The Question: How can Evonik help consumers save energy and earn money while protecting the environment? The Idea: A new technology for economical, environment-friendly production of a starting product for insulating foam based on H2O2, which is one of Evonik’s main products. Evonik’s Response: Technology developed by Evonik and its cooperation partner Uhde is licensed to customers in the chemical industry, who source H2O2 from Evonik as the key starting product. Evonik also supplies the catalyst. The Benefits: Evonik gains access to new markets for H2O2, which means more business, while consumers get insulating foam manufactured using an eco-efficient process. 23 9. Glass to Keep Plants Warm Photography: Evonik Industries For flowers and vegetables to grow and thrive in a greenhouse, a great deal of heating energy is required—which isn’t really surprising because in most cases the walls and roof are made completely of glass, through which much heat is lost. For this reason, modern greenhouses are often made of PLEXIGLAS* from Evonik. This reduces heating costs considerably—and the plants are equally happy with this alternative. 24 In a mass of orchids, ten thousand spots of color form a gigantic, wonderfully fragrant mosaic in the luminous winter sunshine. Outside, the cold is crisp, with people’s breath condensing to a white mist. The flowers, however, are flourishing because only the light reaches them, the icy cold staying outside. In the imposingly large greenhouse in De Lier in the Netherlands, it’s always the right season to grow flowers because disturbing weather conditions are simply excluded. Be it cold, precipitation, or excessively strong sunlight, PLEXIGLAS products keep out anything that hinders the growth of the plants. This largest PLEXIGLAS greenhouse in the world used about 500 metric tons (t) of the versatile material, corresponding to an area of about 100,000 square meters. The requirements can be formidable: for example, individual PLEXIGLAS sheets for gigantic greenhouses in Finland are up to twelve meters long. Although PLEXIGLAS greenhouses are visually indistinguishable from the conventional variety, they offer a number of advantages. The sheets from Evonik have good insulating properties. Insulating air cushions in the sheets allow substantial savings: Energy costs are up to 50 percent lower than for glass greenhouses. Or, to put it another way, CO2 emissions per hectare of land are reduced by about 600 t annually. To allow plants to grow under conditions as natural as possible, PLEXIGLAS ALLTOP sheets are also designed to be particularly transparent to ultraviolet light. It isn’t only the Dutch who rely on PLEXIGLAS greenhouses; Scandinavians and North Americans are now discovering this energy saving option for themselves. And growing colorful flowers even in winter without seeing red over energy bills. The Facts The Question: How can energy consumption by greenhouses be reduced? The Idea: By substituting an alternative material for glass. Evonik’s Response: PLEXIGLAS ALLTOP double-skin acrylic sheets. These have outstanding insulating properties and allow plant growth under conditions that are as natural as possible. The Benefits: Flowers can be grown all year round in PLEXIGLAS greenhouses, with lower energy costs and reduced CO2 emissions. *E vonik manufactures and markets it‘s acrylic sheet products under the ACRYLITE ® trade name throughout the Americas. 25 10. Saving Energy with Skin Cream Photography: Image Source/Corbis As long ago as the pre-Christian era, the Egyptian queen Cleopatra was not averse to using cosmetic aids to beguile Julius Caesar with her legendary beauty. A well-groomed appearance is still much sought after. Evonik knows how this desire can be fulfilled and energy conserved at the same time. 26 With an area of up to two square meters and a weight of about ten kilograms, the skin is the largest human organ. It has an extremely hard job to do: It must brave heat and cold, and withstand unharmed the effects of UV radiation and insufficient humidity in poor air conditioning, without ever losing the soft peachesand-cream quality that is the ideal of feminine beauty. This is why many women, and an increasing number of men, put high priority on skin care. What is the most comfortable feel of a cosmetic preparation on the skin? Should it be relaxing, soft, silky, and light—or rich and heavy? The secret is in the mix. A key factor in the skin feel of a cream is the oil phase, which increasingly often consists of cosmetic esters. These are important precursors for cosmetics formulations because they allow production of creams and lotions with the desired optimal skin feel, depending on preference and application. Evonik Industries is the only company in the world to offer biotechnologically produced cosmetic esters. This synthetic route saves more than 60 percent of the energy required in the conventional chemical process, which functions only at very high temperatures and therefore needs a very large amount of energy to heat up the reaction vessel. This makes the process expensive as well as climate unfriendly. This is where Evonik’s biotechnological alternative comes into play. The cosmetics industry processes biotechnologically produced esters into creams and lotions for dry skin, sunscreens, and even lipsticks, among other products, thus satisfying the increasing demand of consumers for natural products. Although still a niche area, the market for natural cosmetics in Europe alone is already showing double-digit growth. The biotechnological variants also reduce formation of environmentally damaging pollutants by up to 88 percent—a matter of great satisfaction, and not only for researchers. The Facts The Question: Can energy be saved with skin cream? The Idea: Production of cosmetics precursors using bacteria or enzymes. Because these work at low temperatures and yield very pure products, they are true energy conservation experts. Evonik’s Response: Evonik is the only company worldwide to produce cosmetic esters by a biotechnological route. The Benefits: The biotechnological production process effects energy savings of more than 60 percent and reduces formation of environmentally damaging pollutants by up to 88 percent. 27 11. Power from the Depths Photography: Gettyimages/Nordic Photos Oil and gas are limited resources, while wind energy and solar power are not always available. Geothermal energy is different. It is virtually inexhaustible and constantly available. Evonik already utilizes geothermal energy. And it is working on a research project with companies like EdF and EnBW to turn geothermal energy into electric power via a massive steam boiler 5,000 meters (m) below ground. 28 The world’s largest underfloor heating system is the planet we live on! Only the thin crust that span’s the Earth’s surface like apple peel is cool. An enormous source of heat slumbers beneath the surface: 99 percent of the planet has a temperature of over 1,000 degrees Celsius. That harbors massive potential. And it is available 24 hours a day—unlike wind power and solar energy. A survey by the German parliamentary office for technology assessment (TAB) estimates that this environment-friendly source of energy could meet about half of Germany’s gross power requirements. Evonik took the first steps towards unlocking the power in the depths of the Earth more than 20 years ago and is now an expert in planning, building and operating geothermal power plants. It is also involved in projects in southern Germany that use geothermal energy to heat buildings. Hot water is pumped from 2,000 m below the Earth’s surface and used as a reliable source of heating for homes, public buildings, hospitals and industry. Customers benefit because prices are less volatile than oil and gas. Besides, they don’t need chimneys, oil tanks or connections to the gas mains. What’s more, geothermal energy is environment-friendly: It generates virtually no CO2. The next key milestone is to use it to generate electric power. Evonik is working with partners on a major research project in Soultz-sous-Forêts in eastern France. High pressure is used to widen existing fractures in the underground granite rock and join them together in a network of fractures more than 5,000 m below ground. Water is pumped into this geological “boiler” to create steam, which is used to drive an overground turbine. Pilot-scale operation of this power plant has already started. If the process is scaled up successfully, it could provide a large-scale decentralized energy supply. Once this massive underfloor heating system gets going, cold feet will be a thing of the past. The Facts The Question: Can electricity be generated from the hot water under the Earth? The Idea: Unlocking the inexhaustible supply of energy beneath the Earth’s surface. Evonik’s Response: Evonik already uses geothermal energy as a source of heat and is the German market leader with total capacity of more than 100 megawatts. Evonik is currently working with partners on a research project to turn this source of heat into electric power. The Benefits: A reliable supply of clean, environment-friendly energy. 29 12. When Less Is More photography: ralf mels/Evonik Industries Supplying energy can be a very simple matter—at least in the human body, where a drink or a bar of chocolate rapidly replenishes spent energy. In the case of heat and power the situation is some what more complex. Sophisticated energy techno logy is called for, which should preferably be eco-friendly as well as efficient—like Evonik’s power plants of the future. 30 percent, is setting international standards. No com parable coal-fired power plant in Europe has so far achieved higher efficiency. The average efficiency is about 30 percent worldwide and 38 percent in Germany. A higher efficiency means that the plant needs less coal to generate the same amount of power. This not only conserves coal, a valuable resource, but also cuts emissions, particularly CO2. This technology from Evonik could contribute Today’s world would be inconceivable without even further to environmental protection if adopted energy. Houses would stay cold and rooms dark. Com worldwide—in China, for example, where more puters would cease to function, production plants than 550 new coal-fired power plants are to be built would grind to a halt—and the world would be a very by the year 2015. If efficiency were to be indifferent place. All of which makes it abundantly creased worldwide from 30 to 45 percent, global clear why energy supply is one of the foremost con CO2 emissions would be slashed by nearly two billion cerns of the future. metric tons annually. Which alone justifies the use An optimal method of energy generation would of the technology. be efficient and eco-friendly as well as economical, safe, and reliable. These requirements would be satis The Facts fied by, for example, generating energy from re The Question: The changeover to energy newable sources such as sunlight, wind, or plants. But generation from renewable sources will take it may take a few decades before energy generated several decades. How can the transition be reliably from renewable sources becomes widely made as efficiently as possible and with maximum available, and in the interim fossil fuels such as oil, gas, environmental protection? and coal will remain indispensable. So it’s all the more important to use these as efficiently as possible and with maximum protection of the environment. Evonik is showing how this can be done. A new 750 megawatt hard-coal fired cogeneration plant unit is currently under construction in Duisburg-Walsum, which could supply an estimated more than 1.3 mil lion single-family households with power. Even more impressive, however, is the fact that the new power plant, with an efficiency exceeding 45 The Idea: By designing and building power plants of efficiencies significantly higher than those attained in conventional plants. Evonik’s Response: Evonik builds power plants that have efficiencies as high as 45 percent and are low emitting. The Benefits: Lower fuel consumption and fewer emissions, particularly of CO2. 31 13. Saving Fuel Is Easy photography: karsten bootmann/Evonik Industries Cars that need less fuel, and so emit less CO2 , are a product not only of sophisticated mechanical engineering. Evonik’s chemists too are paving the way for the eco-friendly and energy-saving car of the future—with very light components. 32 Force is needed to move a mass, and it takes a lot of fuel to get a heavy car going. Ultralight structural foams, innovative polymer material concepts, and adhesives from Evonik can make vehicles significantly lighter. Every kilogram saved in this way allows further weight savings, for example, in the drive train, which can then be made smaller. Lightweight construction materials include the plastic VESTAMID HTplus, which can replace classic metal parts in cars. A charge air duct, for example, can be made from VESTAMID HTplus: Hot compressor air flows through this duct in the engine, which must therefore be able to withstand high temperatures. A plastic duct weighs only half as much as its aluminum counterpart. The VESTAKEEP high-performance polymer also withstands temperatures up to 260 degrees Celsius, a property that is useful for parts in gear units and engines, where the polymer is again used as an alternative to metal. Even the body can be streamlined by the use of sandwich elements of high-performance ROHACELL foam and carbon fiber fabric. Their use in body parts such as the roof, hatchback, engine hood, and doors results in a weight reduction of 50 to 60 percent compared with steel parts. The hatchback of a Golf V made from a sandwich element weighs only 3.5 kilograms, which represents a weight saving of 80 percent. Windshields manufactured from Plexiglas composite material are 40 to 50 percent lighter than the classic versions. High-grade adhesives containing materials from Evonik also help reduce weight because, for example, they allow the use of light plastics that cannot be joined by welding or soldering. The adhesion promoter VESTAMELT even allows steel and plastic parts to be bonded to form hybrid materials, and is typic- ally used in car doors and roofs, with weight savings of 20 to 25 percent compared with steel parts. Lightweight construction materials and technologies such as lithium-ion batteries, low rolling resistance tires, and fuel-efficient engine oils allow an approximately 30 percent reduction in car weight. A Golf V showcar, streamlined from the normal 1,360 kg to just 989 kg, consumes 30 percent less fuel. The Facts The Question: How can fuel consumption in cars be reduced? The Idea: Cars that weigh less need less fuel. Evonik’s Response: Evonik has developed plastics and material concepts to replace heavy metal parts in the engine and body. The Benefits: The weight of the car is heavily reduced, with a Golf V being streamlined from 1,360 kg to just 989 kg. 33 14. Diesel from a Nut Photography: AFP/Gettyimages Second-generation biodiesel, the fuel of the future, comes out of the desert. And in addition to serving as a fuel, it could also help create jobs and feed the world’s population. But no food crops or valuable traditional cultivable land are needed to obtain the oil for this biodiesel; the key to success here is an extremely unassuming plant. Despite the fierce heat and severely limited agricultural potential, green plants grow from the earth to a height of two meters. Workers make their way along the rows of plants harvesting the fruit, an oil-containing nut. The plantation, in the midst of the steppe, appears to have sprung up from nowhere. jatropha curcas is the name of the plant giving rise to such great hopes. This member of the spurge family is expected to replace oilseed rape, soybean, and coconut, not as a food, but as a raw material for biodiesel. Biodiesel is gaining in importance worldwide, mainly because it is obtained from renewable raw materials and is more eco-friendly than conventional fossil diesel; its CO2 balance, for example, is significantly better. The pure vegetable oil cannot be used directly as an automotive fuel, however, and must first be modified in a chemical process. Evonik provides a catalyst that makes this process viable: Evonik’s alkoxides ensure a higher yield of biodiesel for each liter of vegetable oil. Evonik is already focusing on second-generation biodiesel, and therefore on jatropha. The nuts of the plant are not edible, nor does jatropha compete with other plants for farm34 land. On the contrary, it flourishes under difficult climatic conditions and even on land that has so far been infertile. In the shadow of the large jatropha plants, other plants can be cultivated, new cropping soils obtained, and jobs created. Although jatropha has not yet been cultivated on a large scale, Evonik has already tested its catalysts with the oil of the jatropha plant and has confirmed that they are fully functional. So the company is already well prepared for second-generation biodiesel and the fuel of the future. The Facts The Question: Can modern biodiesel serve as more than an automotive fuel? Yes, it has already been employed as a kerosene substitute for jet aircraft, and for firing cogeneration plants. The Idea: An eco-friendly fuel of which stocks never run out, and which is superior to the currently used biodiesel. Evonik’s Response: Alkoxide catalysts from Evonik make biodiesel production more cost effective. The Benefits: Biodiesel holds out the possibility of replacing fossil diesel—to the advantage of the environment. Additionally, second-generation raw materials offer the chance of utilizing land previously unsuitable for agriculture, creating new jobs, and cultivating other plants. 35 15. Sturdy Sandwiches Photography: Rainer Dittrich A simple comparison reveals astounding differences: A cubic meter of steel weighs 7,800 kilograms; the same volume of aluminum weighs 2,700 kg; and ROHACELL, the high-performance rigid foam from Evonik, weighs in at just 32 kg. 36 ROHACELL makes light—in more than one sense of the word—of the most complex tasks. On the ground, it reduces the weight of cars, thus saving fuel. In the air, it gives helicopters and planes lift and reliability. In the water, it speeds up catamarans. In brief, the material is in demand wherever lightness and stability are important. Today’s helicopters, for example, often have high-performance rotor blades with a sandwich struc ture—and a ROHACELL rigid-foam core. Rotor blades are subjected to enormous stresses. The rotor of a helicopter traveling at 250 kilometers per hour, for example, makes about 400 revolutions per minute, so that speeds at the blade tips are about 800 meters per second. The resulting centrifugal forces at the blade tips can reach about 1,000 times the gravitational acceleration. The sandwich structure counters these forces. In sandwich rotor blades, a core of foamed polymethacrylimide is bonded between two covering layers of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic under pressure and at high temperatures. The result is a component of extremely high strength. Of all the rigid foams on the market, in fact, ROHACELL possesses the best weight to mechanical strength ratio, and also the highest heat deflection temperature. The lightness of the material is used to good effect in airplanes, for example in the winglets, the small extensions to the wings that improve aerodynamic properties and reduce fuel consumption. And ROHACELL used in loading doors, undercarriage doors, stringer profiles in the engine cowling, and folding tables in the passenger cabin also contributes toward reducing weight and saving fuel, thus minimizing CO2 emissions. In wind power plants, the material is facilitating ecofriendly energy generation. And ROHACELL is to be found even in catamarans and in the skis of leading biathletes. All of which are markers on the path to the continued worldwide success of this remarkable material. The Facts The Question: How do you reduce weight— and save energy—in planes, cars, and ships? The Idea: By means of a sandwich structure combining extreme strength with low weight. Evonik’s Response: ROHACELL rigid foam, with the best weight to mechanical strength ratio of any structural foam. The Benefits: The use of ROHACELL as the core in sandwich structures significantly reduces the weight of cars and planes. This saves energy and reduces CO2 emissions. 37 16. Focus on a Climate Killer Photography: Visuals Unlimited/Corbis In the fight to prevent climate catastrophe, nature could very soon be coming to its own aid: Scientists have discovered bacteria that can absorb the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air particularly efficiently and bind it via their metabolism. 38 The findings of the research team headed by Prof. Georg Fuchs at the University of Freiburg (designated an “Excellence University”) have attracted much attention, and not only in scientific circles—because the work could contribute toward reducing levels of the climate killer carbon dioxide. Along with the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the European Union, Evonik has supported this research as an industry partner. “In addition to technologies for reducing CO2 emissions, the uptake of CO2 by plants and bacteria is one of the most promising research areas,” says Dr. Harald Schmidt, head of Evonik’s Creavis research unit. The use of “CO2-guzzling” bacteria allows not only removal of the greenhouse gas from the atmosphere but also reduction of the CO2 emissions from industrial processes could be reduced. From the chemist’s viewpoint, the Freiburg results open up another intriguing possibility: metabolic pathways of this kind offer new options in synthesis, either to replace chemical production processes by more eco-friendly biotechnological processes, or to develop new products by new synthetic routes. This is also the goal of Evonik’s Biotechnology Science-to-Business Center in Marl, under the direction of Creavis, where the company is working on novel biotechnological production of advanced materials. “For this purpose we’re increasingly using the metabolic pathways of bacteria and fungi as a kind of factory in the cell,” says Schmidt. “In the search for new metabolic pathways of this kind, we struck gold with the research group of Prof. Fuchs.” “Our basic research on exotic bacteria was initially significant only from the biological viewpoint,” says Fuchs. “It was the collaboration with Evonik that opened our eyes to the possibility of exploiting metabolic pathways for eco-friendly biological synthesis of chemical building blocks.” The new metabolic pathway discovered by the Freiburg researchers has a key advantage: It offers access to materials not previously accessible via CO2. The Facts The Question: How can CO2 be removed from the atmosphere in an energy efficient way? The Idea: Bacteria can absorb CO2 from the air and bind it via their metabolism. Evonik’s Response: Evonik supports scientific research on the biological fixation of CO2. The Benefits: If this metabolic pathway can be scaled up for commercial application, nature itself could effectively fight CO2 in the future. 39 17. Brainstorming Factory Photography: Dieter Debo/Evonik Industries To translate the latest scientific knowledge as speedily as possible into successful products and processes: That is Evonik’s claim, and also what Science-to-Business (S2B), the Group’s unique research concept, stands for. In Marl, in centers specially designed for the purpose, the company integrates its strategic research and development activities in various future-oriented fields. The success of this approach has already been borne out by the Nanotronics and Biotechnology S2B Centers. 40 In its new Eco² S2B Center, opened in the fall of 2008, Evonik now combines, under a single roof, the Group’s wide-ranging expertise in the fields of energy efficiency and climate protection. Development and testing are carried out here, as is research into new technologies, always with an eye open for uncon ventional or interdisciplinary approaches. It is the needs of the market, rather than research for its own sake, that determine the course of the work. And the prospects of success for all the projects are continually being evaluated. This “ideas factory” started off with subjects from all three of Evonik’s business areas: Chemicals, Energy, and Real Estate. So Evonik is for the first time exploiting on a large scale the opportunities arising from its organization as an integrated industrial group. In close conjunction with the Group’s business units and partners from academic institutions and industry, Evonik’s researchers focus on five thematic areas: CO2 separation and utilization, energy generation, energy storage, and solutions for improving energy efficiency for customers and in Evonik’s own processes. The Eco² S2B Center is studying, for instance, how climate-damaging CO2 from the power plant process can be separated and utilized, for example, as a chemical raw material. This might prove to be an alternative to simply storing the CO2 The researchers also want to approach the problem of storing solar and wind energy more efficiently than is currently possible. Advanced batteries, such as those based on lithium-ion technology, might be of help here. Innovations are the key to new success, not only in commercial terms but also in regard to energy efficiency or the fight against climate change. By the year 2013, Evonik will have invested research funds totaling more than €50 million in the new S2B Center. The Facts The Question: How can a marketable solution for climate protection be developed faster? The Idea: The path from the initial idea to future-oriented technology must be shortened. Evonik’s Response: The Eco² S2B Center, a unique center in which the Group brings its diverse expertise in energy efficiency and climate protection under a single roof and so pursues targeted research. The Benefits: New technologies for global energy supply and efficient utilization of energy, which protect the climate. 41 18. Slim Super Solar Films Photography: Markus Schmidt An intensive search is on for new and reasonably priced materials that can help tap the sun’s energy. Evonik is already working on the solar technology of the future—and the solar-energy traps should be slim, powerful, and flexible. Exploiting solar energy economically is no trivial matter. The glass plates between which the photovoltaically active films are embedded are heavy and expensive, which is a drawback in the production of thin-film solar cells. The lower glass plate serves as a substrate, and the upper as a barrier to moisture, oxygen, and the effects of weathering. This system of glass-on-glass solar modules normally requires expensive sub-structures that could account for as much as one third of the total costs. Evonik’s Functional Films & Surfaces Project House is working toward the goal of replacing the glass barriers of thin-film solar modules with a system of suitable plastic films. Among other advantages, the thin-film technology allows energy generation even in weak or diffuse residual light. PLEXIGLAS films have the properties required for this system: high light transmission and reliable protection against external influences. Evonik has many years of experience in these films. However, the project house team faces a particular challenge in that the conventional plastics must be specially surface modified to have barrier properties that significantly reduce the permeation of moisture and oxygen. One possible approach is via coating technologies that 42 a pply silicon or aluminum oxide on the plastic surface in a layer that is only a few nanometers thick: an ultra-thin film with barrier properties, so to speak. The project house experts intend to go even further, with production of solar modules in which a polymer also replaces the second supporting glass layer. Solar modules of this type would be fully flexible and could be produced much more eco nomically than before in a continuous roll-to-roll process. This would allow production of extremely lightweight solar cells, which could simply be attached to the roof without the need for an additional sub-structure. If that succeeds, solar energy will be easily tapped. The Facts The Question: How can solar energy be more fficiently utilized? e The Idea: If the share of solar cells in energy generation is to increase, their production and installation must become significantly cheaper. Evonik’s Response: The Functional Films & Surfaces Project House is working on the development of high-performance plastic films that will allow roll-to-roll production of thin-film solar cells. The Benefits: Thin-film technology also functions in relatively unfavorable light conditions, so that solar power can be used cost effectively even in the middle latitudes. 43 19. On One’s Own Behalf Photography: Karsten Bootmann/Evonik Industries Recent heating bills came as a rude shock to householders in Germany, who had to make follow-up payments of about 30 percent on average as a result of exploding energy prices in 2008. Many consumers are now thinking about changing and improving the way they heat their homes. As an energy customer, Evonik too has been considering optimization possibilities—relying mainly on help from its internal experts. 44 Evonik is continually scrutinizing its own processes and practices to save money and secure its com petitive position, and also to reduce the environmental burden. A couple of years ago, for example, the Group began examining individual sites in the Chemicals Business Area in detail to cut costs. One of the motiva tions for this effort was the continuing global increase in the prices of energy and raw materials. Since early 2008, a team of about 30 employees has been working to ensure that not a single kilowatt-hour of power or kilogram of raw material goes to waste. The organizational unit is called Operational Excel lence (OPEX), and the name says it all. Its objective is to strengthen the competitive position of the Chemi cals Business Area by continuously and sustainably in creasing productivity at all sites. The way the program works in practice is as follows. Experts from various units visit the plants to gain an outsider’s perspective on workflows at the site, gather information, and propose improvements— which concern, but are not restricted to, increasing energy efficiency. Particularly in the Chemicals Business Area, the company is witnessing explosive increases in energy costs: 122 percent for power and 147 percent for gas over the period 2003–2009, despite the fact that power and gas consumption in the same period increased only by 18 and 9 percent, respectively. This is clearly a case for OPEX intervention. The team has now conducted the Efficient Energy Manage ment special diagnosis at 23 German and foreign sites. Savings potentials averaging between 5 and 26 per cent relative to the energy costs at the site were identi fied, for example, by recycling cooling water or through the use of turbines for power generation. More than 200 such optimizations, most of which have already been implemented, could reduce energy costs throughout the Group—by as much as €21 million. The Facts The Question: How does an industrial group continually optimize its operations and energy utilization? The Idea: By continually scrutinizing processes and practices, and implementing possibilities for improvement. Evonik’s Response: Evonik has established the Operational Excellence (OPEX) organizational unit. The goal of the operations experts is to ensure outstanding outputs and operating parameters for all sites and production-related processes over the long term. The Benefits: Lower energy costs, improved en ergy utilization—and reduced environmental load. 45 20. Do It Yourself Photography: Frank Preuss/Evonik Industries “But we’ve always done it that way.” These words can kill fresh ideas and put a damper on motivated, thinking employees in modern organizations. Yet it’s often these very employees who know best how improvements can be made in the workplace or the plant. Evonik recognizes this and benefits from it. 46 Many of the Group’s employees have already suc cessfully put their ideas into practice. Martin Rösler is among them: The clever energy saving ideas of this employee of Evonik’s Voerde power plant recently led to his being awarded the title Bester Vorschlagsautor Deutschlands (originator of the best suggestion in Germany) by the German Institute for Business Admin istration and Management Development. Rösler had worked intensively on the startup program for the A and B units of the Voerde power plant, a program that had hitherto been constrained by fixed limits and grades. He worked out a more flexible and fine-tuned plan that allows significant reductions in the heating oil and coal required for the startup of the units. This example shows that success often comes from within the organization—from convinced and com mitted employees for whom the business success of their company, climate protection, and economical energy consumption are all important concerns. They are not discouraged by even the most formidable challenges. Evonik employees Christian Gerdemann and Udo Sahlmann, from the Industrial Chemicals Business Unit, thought deeply over two years about how energy utilization in hydrogen production could be improved, continuing all the while with their normal everyday work. A process developed as a result of their skills and expertise now ensures that the heat generated in the plant can be used to produce steam: a perfect example of energy efficiency through personal initiative. Evonik’s suggestions scheme, through which all such ideas are submitted, saves the company millions of euros every year. Because this expertise should be made available to as many people as possible in the Group, Evonik’s Chemicals Business Area also has an idea exchange program. This ensures that good ideas are exploited internally to even greater effect. Because, far from being frowned upon, imitation in this case is expressly encouraged! The Facts The Question: How can employees make a ersonal additional contribution to economical p energy consumption and climate protection? The Idea: By utilizing the practical skills and knowledge of superbly trained employees to gen erate new ideas and effect positive changes. Evonik’s Response: Evonik encourages, helps, and motivates employees to contribute their ideas and develop them. By way of an ideas management system, the company ensures that good ideas make their full impact. The Benefits: Energy efficiency and cost sav ings as a result of personal initiatives. Through em ployees’ suggestions for improvement, Evonik has derived net benefits amounting to more than €60 million between 2003 and 2008—taking into account only the first year after implemen tation of a proposal. Most ideas, however, bring palpable benefits over several years. 47 21. Wood Chips for Power and Heat Photography: Frank Preuss/Evonik Industries Rather than simply disposing of old furniture, tree loppings, and construction timber, Evonik uses these to generate power and heat. Plants exist throughout Germany that make an important contribution to the energy mix, thus protecting the climate. 48 A sea of wood stretches out as far as the eye can see. Enormous shovel loaders feed planks and logs to a shredder, from which wood chips are ejected into a storage bunker and then transported on conveyor belts to the boiler. Like any other power plant, the biomass cogeneration plant in Neuwied, near Koblenz, uses boilers, steam turbines, and flue-gas scrubbers. But instead of coal the boiler is fed with wood scrap, a renewable raw material. During its growth, the wood has absorbed as much carbon dioxide (CO2) as will be released by its combustion in the power plant. Power produced from CO2-neutral wood thus comes under the German Renewable Energies Act. In Neuwied, for example, annual CO2 emissions are lower by about 60,000 metric tons (t) than if fossil fuels had been used. Evonik operates ten biomass power plants in Germany, some on its own and others with partners. This puts Evonik among Germany’s three largest players in the exploitation of biomass for energy. An eleventh biomass power plant is currently under construction in Warndt in the Saarland region; it will start operating at the end of the year with wood from the Saarland forest. In Neuwied, Evonik, in conjunction with its partner Flohr, produces about 42,000 megawatt-hours of power annually from about 56,000 t of biomass. Wood combustion is optimally leveraged when the heat that is generated is also utilized. In Neuwied, a neighboring sheet-metal factory purchases around 81,000 t of process steam every year. The steam heats the acid baths in which steel is cleaned before coating. The biomass cogeneration plant in Ilmenau, Thuringia, that Evonik operates jointly with Ilmenauer Wärmeversorgung GmbH also supplies power and heat. The heat goes into a district heating network. The power plant replaced older plants that generated district heating using heavy oil and brown coal, and subsequently gas. The primary energy factor for dis- trict heat generated in biomass cogeneration plants is 0.21. This factor reflects the ratio of primary to final energy; the lower the factor, the more efficient is the energy generation. By way of comparison, the factor is about 1 for gas heating. The Facts The Question: How can CO2 emissions during energy generation be reduced? The Idea: Wood scrap, which has absorbed CO2 during growth, is not simply disposed of but used as fuel in cogeneration plants. Evonik’s Response: Evonik generates about 335 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of heat and 385 GWh of power in ten plants. This can provide more than 18,500 single-family households with heat and about 96,000 with power. An eleventh biomass power plant is under construction. The Benefits: Every year, Evonik saves the environment more than 350,000 t of CO2 that would have resulted by generating the same amount of energy from fossil fuels. 49 Imprint Publisher: Evonik Industries AG, Christian Kullmann, Rellinghauser Straße 1–11, 45128 Essen Editor in Chief: Ruben Thiel (responsible for editorial content) Editing: Communication Services, Editorial Department Design: Redaktion 4 The map shows a selection of the countries in which Evonik has employees Publishing House: Hoffmann und Campe Verlag GmbH, a GANSKE VERLAGSGRUPPE company, Harvestehuder Weg 42, 20149 Hamburg, Telephone +49 40 / 441 88-457, Fax +49 40 / 441 88-236, e-mail [email protected] Printing: Neef & Stumme, Wittingen Copyright: © 2009 by Evonik Industries AG, Essen. Reproduction only with permission. Contact: [email protected] Note on Brands ACRYLITE®, PLEXIGLAS®, PLEXIGLAS ALLTOP®, ROHACELL®, VESTAKEEP®, VESTAMELT®, VESTAMID® HTplus are protected brands of Evonik Industries AG or its subsidiaries. They are set in capitals in the text. Evonik Worldwide 50 Evonik Industries is the creative industrial group from Germany, operating in three business areas: Chemicals, Energy and Real Estate. As a global leader in specialty chemicals, an expert in power generation from hard coal and renewable energies, and one of the largest private residential real estate companies in Germany, Evonik is consistently expanding its top position in the corresponding markets. Our strengths are creativity, specialization, continuous self-renewal, and reliability. The approximately 43,000 employees of the Evonik Group provide essential answers to the next economic megatrends—energy efficiency, health and wellness, and globalization and demography— opening up promising new growth markets. Evonik is managed in accordance with clear principles of modern value management, with emphasis on profitable growth and increased value. Research and development as well as innovative power are the cornerstones of Evonik’s corporate strategy. More than 20 percent of our total sales in the Chemicals Business Area are based on products, applications, and technologies introduced within the last five years. The Performance Polymers Business Unit of Evonik Industries is a worldwide manufacturer of PMMA products sold under the PLEXIGLAS® trademark on the European, Asian, African and Australian continents and under the trademark ACRYLITE® in the Americas. The Science-to-BusinessCenters Nanotronics and Bio are cofinanced by the European Union and supported by the state of NRW. 51 Evonik Industries AG Rellinghauser Straße 1–11 45128 Essen Germany www.evonik.com Contact: [email protected]