Environmental area

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Environment policies and management

Increasing the competitiveness of assets and limiting the environmental impact of the production process are among the objectives set out in the Company's Strategy. The Group has identified and documented significant areas in which its operations have an impact on the natural environment. Certified environmental management systems (PN-EN ISO 14001: 2015) have been implemented. The systems are monitored and audited by independent certification bodies. The certificate of the Parent Company is valid until 5 May 2019, while of EC Zielona Góra until 6 July 2021.

The Independent Integrated Management System (ZSZ) at KOGENERACJA S.A. and EC Zielona Góra S.A. are maintained in conformance with the Quality, Environmental and Health & Safety Policies.

Being fully aware of the existing risks and of the gravity of threats to the natural environment and the work environment, the Company undertakes to:

  • provide customers with heat and electricity and services of the required quality in a safe and cost-effective manner
  • comply with the laws and regulations, the requirements of the PGE Group and other requirements applicable to its operations
  • raise qualifications, professional skills and employee awareness, and actively support all initiatives aimed at improving quality, occupational health and safety, and environmental protection, and motivate employees to achieve the objectives planned;
  • regularly identify and analyze risks and opportunities associated with the process of production and sale of electricity and heat and delivery of services and implement all required measures;
  • cooperate with all stakeholders, in particular with the local authorities and communities;
  • engage the top management in the building of the quality management culture;
  • take actions aimed at limiting the Company's adverse impact on the natural environment and preserve biodiversity; and
  • meet the requirements of and continually improve the Integrated Management System in line with the following standards: PN-EN ISO 9001, PN-EN ISO 14001, PN-N-18001 and OHSAS 18001.

The Group produces energy in an environmentally-friendly way by using effective technologies, such as high-efficiency cogeneration which involves combined production of electricity and heat. Heat in the form of hot water is delivered to consumers via district heating networks.

The cogeneration process (production of heat in association with electricity) is characterized by a considerably higher efficiency than separate generation of electricity in a power plant and heat in a heating plant. The primary energy contained in the fuel in CHP plants is converted into heat and electricity with an efficiency of about 80%. To compare, the average efficiency of Polish power plants is 36%. Thanks to lower consumption of fuel and water and lower emissions, cogeneration is much more environmentally friendly.

The adopted environmental management policy is verified both during internal audits and by external independent institutions (e.g. ZSZ audit, CO2 emissions audit).

Table. Fines for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations

in PLN thousand KOGENERACJA S.A. EC ZIELONA GÓRA S.A.
For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2018 For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2017 For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2018 For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2017
Value of fines for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations imposed in a given year 0 0 0 0

Fuels, energy and other raw materials

Our main goal is to produce heat and electricity in line with the expectations and with due respect for the natural environment. The Group strives to meet the growing energy needs while caring about air quality in the face of climate change and depletion of raw materials. The Group regularly monitors the consumption of raw materials and endeavors to ensure their optimal utilization.

Table. Consumption of raw materials

KOGENERACJA S.A. EC ZIELONA GÓRA S.A.
For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2018 For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2017 For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2018 For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2017
coal (TJ) 17 053 16 334 - -
biomass (TJ) 349 696 - -
natural gas (TJ) 222 223 10 235 10 364
water (thousand m3) 1 918 1 877 1 050 1 012

Electricity

In order to ensure efficient utilization of energy:

  • electricity and heat production processes are analyzed to identify where they occur and how big there are and to eliminate or minimize them,
  • the parameters and indicators determining the economics of the CHP plant operations are kept constantly under control and assessed for conformance with the optimal operating parameters of power plants.

Water

For its main processes, the Company uses a water intake located on the right bank of the Oder River at EC Wrocław and on the left bank of the Oława River at EC Czechnica. The water is used for technological and cooling purposes (for the main and auxiliary cooling cycle). The Company manages its water resources in a rational way and takes care to maintain their quality.

Actions are undertaken to reduce water consumption for the purpose of production processes by increasing the operating discipline of production equipment, optimizing heat recovery, eliminating leaks in technological installations and optimizing equipment for water sampling technology.

Air emissions

Currently large cities face a problem of low-stack emissions which are generated as a result of combustion of fossil fuel and waste in low-efficiency household furnaces and which create a major health hazard. In order to reduce low-stack emissions, KOGENERACJA S.A. signed a tripartite Partnership for Sustainable Development agreement with the Municipality of Wrocław and the distributor company called Fortum.

KOGENERACJA S.A. participates in the KAWKA+ program implemented by the Municipality of Wrocław under which, acting jointly with the heat distributor, the Company offers housing cooperatives and associations favorable terms of getting connected to the municipal heating network. The program also provides for educating residents about the opportunities of using district heat.

In January 2016, flue gas desulphurization and denitrification installations were launched at EC Wrocław. The project significantly improved the air quality: emissions of sulfur oxides decreased fivefold and of nitrogen oxides threefold. EC Zielona Góra S.A. produces heat and electricity from gas fuel which helps to minimize air emissions.

Table. Air emissions

(Mg) KOGENERACJA S.A. EC ZIELONA GÓRA S.A.
For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2018 For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2017 For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2018 For a period from 1 January to 31 December, 2017
SO2 2 092 1 937 7.6 7.6
NOx 1 795 1 724 394 405
Dust 117 95 6.1 4.6
CO2 1 591 231 1 535 622 563 290 566 719

Combustion process by-products and waste products

The by-products of combustion generated in the technological process of the Parent Entity are mainly slag mixtures, fly ash and gypsum. All of them are transferred to PGE Ekoserwis Sp. z o.o., which manages waste products and supplies fly ashes and slag for the purpose of road building, hydrotechnical and construction projects.

The Parent Company operates an integrated waste management system through:

  • rational management of materials and raw materials
  • economic use of combustion waste (slag and fly ashes as a raw material for road building, cement industry, general construction, etc.)
  • selective waste collection
  • recovery of generated waste followed by treatment processes
  • storage of waste before collection in a way which reduces its negative impact on the environment, in specially prepared, designated locations
  • storage of hazardous waste in special-purpose containers placed in basins or in specially prepared places with hardened or sealed ground to protect soil and groundwater against contamination
  • transferring waste only to recipients who have appropriate waste management permits
  • maintaining all installations in good working condition.

The administrative decision permitting the production of waste issued to EC Zielona Góra SA on 31 May 2012 by the Marshal of the Lubuskie Province sets out the terms of waste management, including a permit for the transport of waste generated in connection with the operation of the installations for transmission, distribution and production of heat in local (gas) boiler facilities in the Municipality of Zielona Góra.