Environment & climate
Responsibility for the environment & climate
As a globally active company in the fields of agriculture and food, construction and housing, as well as electricity, heating and mobility, BayWa has an impact on the environment and the climate through its business activities. The company aims to reduce negative effects as far as possible and contribute to protecting the basis of life, for example with its climate strategy and forward-looking environmental management. BayWa has a significant lever for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the area of transportation and logistics. In addition to climate and energy, it has also defined water, ecosystems and biodiversity as core topics in its new sustainability strategy.
Climate neutrality by 2030
BayWa aims to be climate-neutral in its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. BayWa has set itself this goal as part of its climate strategy and is thus making its contribution to the fight against climate change. Our motto for this is "avoid, reduce, then offset". This means that we first try to completely avoid or at least reduce operational emissions by implementing new technologies, for example, before offsetting the remaining residual emissions with high-quality climate protection certificates.
Climate targets at a glance
- The targets include a 100% Group-wide supply of electricity from renewable energies from 2020 (achieved!).
- Furthermore, the company has set itself the goal of reducing GHG emissions from BayWa sites, company cars and its own logistics by 22% by 2025 compared to 2017 (achieved! -23% by 2022).
- BayWa has also set itself a relative energy target in its climate strategy: to achieve a 22% reduction in energy intensity per euro of EBITDA by 2025 compared to 2017 (achieved! -65% by 2022).
- BayWa also aims to create 10 gigawatts (GW) of additional renewable energy generation capacity by 2025. These four targets have been achieved early (achieved! +11.9 GW by 2022).
The "Pöchlarn eco-solar biotope" project combines technology and nature conservation.
The "Eco Solar Biotope Pöchlarn" is divided into two areas: The majority of the area is covered by solar panels with a south-facing orientation and fixed inclination. The ground underneath was planted with a species-rich seed mixture and the entire system was surrounded by a biodiversity hedge to create a habitat for insects, birds and butterflies. Rainwater can flow between the PV modules and soil sealing is avoided. This biodiversity area will be evaluated by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna over the next few years.
Three different models of agricultural photovoltaics will be tested on the remaining area: "traveling crop" with rotating panels for optimal cultivation with tractors, "southern crop" for use with combine harvesters and "power crop" for fruit trees and shrubs. The panels protect the crops from weather influences such as sunlight or heavy rain.
Organic waste for climate-friendly tomato production
In cooperation with Ecogas, a local energy company, a bioenergy plant that converts food waste into energy is being built on the site of the subsidiary T&G Fresh in New Zealand. Earthworks are in full swing to commission the first large-scale plant of its kind in New Zealand in 2022. It will then produce the equivalent of energy for 2,500 homes in the region, bio-fertilizer for almost 2,000 hectares of farmland, CO2 for the crops and heat for T&G Fresh's tomato greenhouses.
BayWa as a research partner: Protection for apples, pears & co.
The challenges for fruit growers have increased dramatically: Weather extremes and longer growing seasons mean that plants need more protection, while at the same time changing conditions require new methods of pest control. In response, the Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau Bodensee has been testing various mechanical crop protection measures in a research project supported by BayWa since April 2018. The main aim is to find out how the use of pesticides can be further reduced while at the same time producing good yields and high-quality fruit.