Protecting the environment with green electricity

Climate scientists predict the sharpest drop in CO2 emissions ever seen in the world this year. Countries in lockdown consumed around a quarter less energy. But to combat climate change, it will take a restructuring of the economy, not its shutdown.

Tea warehouse Bremen

What is Vollers doing to reduce CO2 emissions?

Antwerp has been using green electricity since 2017, making it a pioneer within the Vollers Group. Since this year, Bremen, Hamburg and Riga have also been using electricity from renewable energies. Renewable or regenerative energies are energy sources that are available for sustainable energy supply in a practically inexhaustible supply or that renew themselves relatively quickly within the human time horizon. Electricity from renewable energy sources is also referred to as green electricity and green electricity. By dispensing with energy production through nuclear fission or coal combustion, we are protecting our environment from pollutant loads. Why should companies use green electricity? No fossil resources are used in the production of ecologically safe electricity. The limited resources available on our planet are thus sustainably protected. In addition, energy generation is CO2-neutral and thus absolutely emission-free. However, it should be noted that the main benefit of a green electricity tariff is not the immediate reduction of CO2 emissions, but the promotion of investment in regenerative technology. By switching to green electricity, however, the CO2 footprint can be significantly reduced: On average, green electricity reduces emissions by 90 percent. This is because different amounts of CO2 are produced per kilowatt hour (kWh):

Conventional electricity mix:

approx. 0.59 kg CO2 per kWh

Green electricity:

approx. 0.035 kg CO2 per kWh

The energy-related CO2 emissions of Vollers Bremen shows that electricity accounts for the largest share. The switch to green electricity at the beginning of this year therefore makes a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions – by a solid 90 percent in the sector of electricity. The switch to green electricity can significantly improve the climate balance. But: Grey electricity will continue to flow from the socket until the entire electricity production has been converted to renewable energies. This is because electricity is usually supplied by the nearest power station. Therefore, the most climate-friendly kilowatt hour of electricity is still the one that is not consumed.