ecoвеко
Global goal
By 2030, Beko plans to reduce direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 30%.
Environmental protection issue is becoming more acute every year, especially a lot of attention is paid to the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. We talk with an environmental engineer Aliya Gilmullina about the nature of greenhouse gases, why it is a matter of prime concern, and what Beko is doing to reduce emissions.
text:
Svetlana Yushina
photo:
Evgeny Likhatsky
Participants of the project aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions - the head of the treatment facilities Elena Zhirnova, the head of the boiler house Ivan Karavayev and the ecology engineer Aliya Gilmullina
- Metering of greenhouse gases is a good practice in perfect working enterprises, - says Aliya, - in this way, companies, observing the requirements of the International Standard ISO 16064, show their responsible attitude to the environment. Metering is carried out in order to implement projects and take measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions after a detailed analysis of the enterprise's activities.
Metering of greenhouse gas emissions
According to the plant's ecology engineer Aliya Gilmullina, in the course of the plant's activity and the use of the products manufactured by Beko, greenhouse gas emissions that can be combined into three groups are generated.
Firstly, let's consider direct emissions.
This group, as the expert says, includes stationary emissions (from fuel combustion in boiler houses), mobile emissions (for example, from vehicles and forklift trucks operating on fuel), emissions from chemicals used at the enterprise.
Secondly, we must take into account indirect emissions from purchased energy.
- Of course, some kinds of power plants do not emit greenhouse gases - the so-called green energy - explains Aliya Gilmullina. - However, quite a lot of greenhouse gases are emitted in the process of energy production at thermal power plants (TPP), so we must take it into account.
And, finally, we can observe an indirect emissions generated both from the transportation of personnel and during the life cycle of manufactured products.
“This is the most complex area,” says the ecology engineer. “It's not easy to measure, but we are trying." This includes the transportation of products to the sale location.
Also this area includes emissions from product use, cause refrigerators, washing machines, and other household appliances that we manufacture are powered by electricity. When a product is no longer used, it must be disposed of, and at this stage, greenhouse gas emissions which we take into account are also generated.
In the same group, we include the transportation of employees to and from their workplaces as well as business trips of the company's employees.
For example, specialists should go to Vladivostok to exchange experience.
We calculate how much emissions will be generated if they travel by plane and how much if they travel by train. Each type of transport has its own emission factor, and, by the way, railway transport generates the least greenhouse gas emissions.
Firstly, let's consider direct emissions.
This group, as the expert says, includes stationary emissions (from fuel combustion in boiler houses), mobile emissions (for example, from vehicles and forklift trucks operating on fuel), emissions from chemicals used at the enterprise.
Secondly, we must take into account indirect emissions from purchased energy.
- Of course, some kinds of power plants do not emit greenhouse gases - the so-called green energy - explains Aliya Gilmullina. - However, quite a lot of greenhouse gases are emitted in the process of energy production at thermal power plants (TPP), so we must take it into account.
And, finally, we can observe an indirect emissions generated both from the transportation of personnel and during the life cycle of manufactured products.
“This is the most complex area,” says the ecology engineer. “It's not easy to measure, but we are trying." This includes the transportation of products to the sale location.
Also this area includes emissions from product use, cause refrigerators, washing machines, and other household appliances that we manufacture are powered by electricity. When a product is no longer used, it must be disposed of, and at this stage, greenhouse gas emissions which we take into account are also generated.
In the same group, we include the transportation of employees to and from their workplaces as well as business trips of the company's employees.
For example, specialists should go to Vladivostok to exchange experience.
We calculate how much emissions will be generated if they travel by plane and how much if they travel by train. Each type of transport has its own emission factor, and, by the way, railway transport generates the least greenhouse gas emissions.
For example, specialists should go to Vladivostok to exchange experience. We calculate how much emissions will be generated if they travel by plane and how much if they travel by train.
Greenhouse gases are the collective name for a range of gases that can trap thermal radiation from the planet.
These gases are invisible, but are dangerous by their property of absorbing infrared spectrum, do not have a definite formula, and can constantly vary in percentage.
Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, ozone and some others.
Concentration of such greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases from year to year, thereby contributing to global warming.
These gases are invisible, but are dangerous by their property of absorbing infrared spectrum, do not have a definite formula, and can constantly vary in percentage.
Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, ozone and some others.
Concentration of such greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases from year to year, thereby contributing to global warming.
Energy efficiency to reduce emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions lead to significant climatic change. If we cannot influence natural sources (volcanic eruptions, forest fires), then at least we can manage man-made sources (activities of industrial enterprises, combustion of hydrocarbon fuels, operation of automobile engines). In particular, "Beko" specialists has developed about seventy projects aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Our global goal set by Arçelik is to reduce direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 30% until 2030,” says Aliya Gilmullina, ecology engineer of the Beko plant. "Therefore we develop projects to reduce the use of electricity, natural gas, switch to more GHG-friendly materials, and so on."
“We have a lot of energy efficiency projects,” says Aliya Gilmullina. - A whole group of employees from different departments of the company is working on these projects. We purchased new equipment that consumes much less electricity, replaced the engines on the lines, installed a modern cooling system, a spot cooling system at the plastics production site. These systems, firstly, will allow to save electricity, and secondly, reduce the number of rejections.
And all this together will have a significant economic effect - we will be able to save enough funds for the enterprise. Aliya Gilmullina also said that colleagues from the IT department have installed a monitoring system that allows to track energy consumption spot by spot.
“When our total energy consumption increases, we can look at which specific spot or at which site the consumption has grown,” says engineer Gilmullina,“ and fix the situation there.
“We have a lot of energy efficiency projects,” says Aliya Gilmullina. - A whole group of employees from different departments of the company is working on these projects. We purchased new equipment that consumes much less electricity, replaced the engines on the lines, installed a modern cooling system, a spot cooling system at the plastics production site. These systems, firstly, will allow to save electricity, and secondly, reduce the number of rejections.
And all this together will have a significant economic effect - we will be able to save enough funds for the enterprise. Aliya Gilmullina also said that colleagues from the IT department have installed a monitoring system that allows to track energy consumption spot by spot.
“When our total energy consumption increases, we can look at which specific spot or at which site the consumption has grown,” says engineer Gilmullina,“ and fix the situation there.
Green (carbon-free) energy is renewable energy derived from natural resources such as sunlight, water flows, wind, tides, and geothermal heat.
Such energy is environmentally friendly, since no greenhouse gas emissions are generated during its production, that is, it has a minimal impact on the environment.
Such energy is environmentally friendly, since no greenhouse gas emissions are generated during its production, that is, it has a minimal impact on the environment.
Energy management and greenhouse gas emissions
Energy is very closely related to ecology.
“I am responsible for energy consumption management,” says Maxim Stepanov, power engineer of the Beko company. "For example, the combustion of natural gas generates direct emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, while the production of electricity generates indirect emissions."
We have about seventy projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We have completed some of them, and some are still in progress. Our activity has two directions: reduction of specific consumption of natural gas and switch to energy efficient technologies.
One of the projects aimed at reducing natural gas consumption is the replacement of gas stoves with electric ones - this will reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions by 107 tons of CO₂ eq. per year. Also, a project aimed to replace thermal insulation, that reduces direct GHG emissions by 40 tons of CO₂ eq per year, is underway. And an example of measures aimed at reducing electricity consumption is the replacement of fluorescent lamps with LED ones; as well as the replacement of outdated electric motors with more energy efficient ones.
Beko for the first time has begun the implementation of a project for a complete transition to the use of green electricity with zero greenhouse gas emissions.
“In 2021, we purchased green electricity (IREC certificates) in the amount of 5,000,000 kWh,” says Maxim Stepanov, “which will reduce indirect CO₂ emissions by 1,785 tons per year. By 2030, we plan to carry out a complete step-by-step replacement of electricity from traditional sources with the carbon-free electricity.
“I am responsible for energy consumption management,” says Maxim Stepanov, power engineer of the Beko company. "For example, the combustion of natural gas generates direct emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, while the production of electricity generates indirect emissions."
We have about seventy projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We have completed some of them, and some are still in progress. Our activity has two directions: reduction of specific consumption of natural gas and switch to energy efficient technologies.
One of the projects aimed at reducing natural gas consumption is the replacement of gas stoves with electric ones - this will reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions by 107 tons of CO₂ eq. per year. Also, a project aimed to replace thermal insulation, that reduces direct GHG emissions by 40 tons of CO₂ eq per year, is underway. And an example of measures aimed at reducing electricity consumption is the replacement of fluorescent lamps with LED ones; as well as the replacement of outdated electric motors with more energy efficient ones.
Beko for the first time has begun the implementation of a project for a complete transition to the use of green electricity with zero greenhouse gas emissions.
“In 2021, we purchased green electricity (IREC certificates) in the amount of 5,000,000 kWh,” says Maxim Stepanov, “which will reduce indirect CO₂ emissions by 1,785 tons per year. By 2030, we plan to carry out a complete step-by-step replacement of electricity from traditional sources with the carbon-free electricity.
© Beko 2021