Environmental & climate protection 2022
When calculating greenhouse gases, we distinguish between three categories in accordance with the GHG Protocol (GHG = greenhouse gas / THG = greenhouse gases): direct emissions (Scope 1), indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2) and other direct emissions in the upstream and downstream supply chain (Scope 3). We measure emissions in terms of CO2 equivalents (CO2e).
In 2022, the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions remained the same as in 2021. We calculated our Scope 2 emissions using a dual approach, which includes the location-based method and the market-based method. When calculating our Scope 3 emissions, we also covered additional categories recommended by a joint working group, which consists of industrial gas companies and industrial gas associations.
In fiscal 2022, the total greenhouse gases emitted directly and indirectly from our global production and logistics activities (Scope 1 and Scope 2) amounted to 5.33 million metric tons of CO2e. This is 130,000 metric tons less than in the previous year, when the comparable figure was 5.46 million metric tons of CO2e. This decrease of 2.4 percent is mainly due to a decrease in electricity consumption and emission factors for electricity.
The CO2 emissions intensity of our global activities (Scope 1 and Scope 2), measured as the ratio of CO2e per euro of sales, was 1.28 CO2e/€ in 2022. This is a significant reduction compared to the 2021 benchmark, which was 1.55 CO2e/€.
Scope 1
Scope 1 includes direct emissions generated in our production facilities. This applies in particular in connection with the production of hydrogen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Further direct emissions arise in logistics from the burning of fuel. In 2022, Scope 1 for Messer worldwide was 248 thousand metric tons of CO2e. In 2021, the comparable figure was 240.3 thousand metric tons of CO2e. This 3.2 percent increase is mainly due to Messer's strong sales growth, which was more than 10 percent in 2022. It is also slightly influenced by reviewing the boundaries when calculating Scope 1: this year, we started estimating and including fugitive emissions coming from the production and filling processes of some products.
In 2022, Messer's bulk and cylinder fleet including Western Europe consumed 34.93 million liters of diesel. In 2021, this figure was 35.37 million liters. Our fleet covered a total of 110.96 million kilometers in 2022 compared with 114.30 million kilometers in the previous year. Average diesel consumption slightly increased from 0.309 liters per kilometer traveled in 2021 to 0.315 liters per kilometer in 2022.
We show the development of the distance per ton (payload) of liquid industrial gases or cylinder gases delivered with an index value. In 2022 the index value for Messer worldwide was 101.1. In 2021 the index value was 99.4. The slight deterioration in the key figure is partly due to the fact that additional routes were necessary in 2022 to ensure a continuous supply of gases.
Similar to 2020 and 2021, the reporting year 2022 was also characterized by challenges due to the Corona pandemic. Once again, it was necessary to ensure the supply of our clientele, particularly with medical oxygen. Despite all our efforts to work efficiently, we were not able to achieve all the targets we had set ourselves for the logistics KPIs.
Messer produces nitrous oxide (N2O) in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Serbia and China. This gas is used in the medical, electronics and food industries. Messer operates a total of six hydrogen plants of its own in Switzerland and China. We do not take into account three further hydrogen plants at our customers' sites in Austria and Hungary ('on-site') when calculating our own carbon footprint. Gaseous hydrogen is used in many industries, for example as a food additive in hydrogenation or fat hardening, in heat treatment, as an energy carrier or even as an emission-free fuel.
Scope 2
Indirect CO2 emissions under Scope 2 relate to the production process of purchased electricity. Group-wide, the value decreased on a location-based basis from 5.22 million metric tons in 2021 to 5.08 million metric tons in 2022, of which 1.51 million metric tons were attributable to Messer in North and South America. This decrease of about 140,000 metric tons in 2022 compared to the previous year's figure is mainly due to the decrease in electricity consumption and emission factors for electricity. If the global trend toward more green electricity continues, we will increasingly purchase emission-free electricity. As a result, our indirect CO2 emissions under Scope 2, which account for more than 90 percent of our total emissions, will continue to decline until we achieve our long-term goal of climate neutrality.
We develop and build for the air separation plants, we take care to ensure energy-efficient design and cost-effective procurement of energy to operate the plants.
To optimize our electricity procurement, for example, we use Europe-wide tenders, long-term framework agreements and continuously monitor the futures and spot markets. We support and advise our national subsidiaries on electricity purchasing through a central unit. This department also regularly reviews and compares electricity costs and the use of renewable energies.
Against the background of our decarbonization program and our goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we kept calculating location-based and market-based greenhouse gas emissions in 2022 in accordance with the GHG Protocol. This dual reporting approach enables Messer to better track improvements related to local initiatives. Messer’s absolute global CO2e footprint decreased by around 2 percent in 2022. This is linked to a decrease in the overall electricity consumption by 1 percent and a more favorable energy mix.
Our production facilities consumed 11.8 terawatt hours of electricity worldwide in 2022 compared with 11.9 terawatt hours in 2021. This slight decline was caused by fluctuations in demand.
Scope 3
The emissions included under Scope 3 are indirect emissions that do not relate to the purchase of electricity. This applies to the most important upstream and downstream activities. These include, for example, the purchase of goods, services and capital goods, other energy consumption, electricity transmission losses not included in Scope 1 and 2, business travel, employee commuting and products sold.
Overall, the CO2 equivalent value for greenhouse gas emissions under Scope 3 in 2022 across the Group was 2.92 million metric tons. In the previous year, the comparable figure was 2.95 million metric tons. This decrease of 1.2 percent is due to a decline in the consumption of other energies, among other things. However, this only considered other energy consumption, business travel and employee commuting. Following a thorough review of our previously applied estimation approach, we have started to analyze the estimation of the main categories of Scope 3. This applies to all main categories relevant to our activities to integrate relevant upstream and downstream supply chains according to best practices in our sector and the results of joint working groups organized by the industrial gas associations.
The responsible use of all resources, especially energy, is very important to Messer. The specific energy consumption of all processes is a key performance indicator in this respect.
Another important goal is to keep reducing the specific energy consumption of our air separation plants. In this respect, Messer is focusing on ever better utilization of existing plants and is continuously investing in projects that help to increase the energy efficiency of our plants sustainably. Our Global Energy Officer (GEO) is responsible for these activities.
Example measures to improve energy efficiency in production in 2022 were:
- Replacement of outdated, inefficient equipment with modern technology
- Installation of on-site equipment to avoid liquid deliveries by truck
- Implementation of Aspen DMC advanced process control software at additional plants
- Installation of solar panels on available roof surfaces
We use the energy coefficient to show the energy efficiency of our production. The energy coefficient indicates how much electricity was consumed per ton of product compared to an assumed "reference plant." In 2022, the corresponding value worldwide was 102.5 compared with 101.1 in the previous year. The decline in energy efficiency can be attributed to strong fluctuations in demand, which meant that most plants could not be operated in their optimal operating range as intended.
Switzerland: ASCO relies on solar power
A total of 336 solar panels were installed on the roof of ASCO's production facility in Eschlikon, Switzerland, in 2022. They are expected to produce around 111,300 kilowatt hours of green electricity per year. This is significantly higher than ASCO's own annual requirement, which is around 90,000 kilowatt hours. The electricity not required by the company itself is fed into the public power grid as green energy. ASCO uses the remaining electricity to operate a CO2 recovery plant, among other things.
Switzerland: first hydrogen forklift truck in the country
In April 2022 Switzerland's first hydrogen-powered forklift truck was handed over to Messer. It has an H2 tank with a geometric volume of 74 liters. At a pressure of 350 bar this corresponds to 1.8 kilograms of hydrogen. Consumption is 0.29 kilograms of hydrogen per operating hour. Interested companies have the opportunity to test the truck in real operation.
Most of the water we consume is needed to cool the compressors in our air separation plants. In 2022 our water consumption across the Group was 17.6 million cubic meters. This is 100,000 cubic meters more than in fiscal 2021. The slight increase is due to the increase in production in 2022.
Our authoritative production processes, which are air separation, CO2 purification, and liquefaction, do not require water within their current process control. However, a great deal of heat is generated primarily during the compression of gases, and in most plants this heat is dissipated via an open cooling water circuit. The cooling water absorbs heat from the respective sources and releases it into the atmosphere via an open cooling tower. In the process, some of the circulating water evaporates. Another part of the water is discharged to prevent thickening of non-soluble components. The evaporated or discharged water must be returned to the system as fresh water. This is the only direct water consumption in our production processes. The amount of fresh water supplied depends directly on the power consumption of a plant, which is around two to three cubic meters per hour per megawatt of electrical power.
In 2022 the amount of waste generated by Messer, including the Western European companies, totaled 17,545 metric tons. Of this amount, 15,970 metric tons was non-hazardous waste, and 1,575 metric tons was hazardous waste. Among the waste generated, 78.9 percent of the non-hazardous waste was recycled, and 8.4 percent of the hazardous waste was recycled. These figures do not include data for Messer's companies in North and South America.
Messer's globally applied quality management system also reflects our commitment to environmental protection. In 2022, as in the previous year, 61 consolidated companies were certified in accordance with ISO 14001 or RCMS. ISO 14001 is an internationally recognized standard that defines conditions to support organizations in establishing, implementing, maintaining and continuously improving environmental management systems. RCMS certification has a comparable relevance and function for our American production sites.
Meeting the requirements of our clientele in a sustainable manner is very important to us. This also includes Messer continuously reducing its ecological footprint.
We achieve this through the impact of our gas applications on their production processes, through an efficient supply of gases – via on site units, for example – and through the use of emission-free or low-carbon products such as green hydrogen.
In customers’ industrial processes, our “Gases for Life” provide for greater safety, efficiency, quality, capacity and environmental compatibility and / or reduce the associated emissions and costs. To fully realize these potentials, we work closely with our customers, supply application engineering equipment and expertise, and help design and optimize processes. In addition, we provide our customers with process development support.
In 2022 Messer, excluding the Americas, was able to conclude new bulk contracts that have an explicitly positive overall impact on the environment. They accounted for 21.9 percent.
These new contracts signed based on applications with a positive impact on the environment include:
- Continued applications and installations of oxyfuel in Europe, especially in the nonferrous metallurgy sector.
- Continued implementation of cryo-condensation plants
- R&D: further development of oxyfuel and hydrogen-oxygen combustion technologies - both in our own competence center and through funded R&D projects - to support our customer needs
The installation of on-site equipment allowed bulk deliveries to be replaced in 2022. This resulted in savings of around 4.1 thousand metric tons of CO2e, which corresponds to the value for 2021.
Recovering solvents effectively and economically
Solvents are required, among other things, for the production of chemicals or pharmaceutical products. They then escape from reactors as volatile organic compounds. Of course, they must not be released into the atmosphere, but must be separated and treated. Cryogenic condensation is a suitable method for this. Messer has developed various processes for this, such as the Duocondex process, which uses the cold of liquid nitrogen: The exhaust gas stream flows through a cryocondenser; the volatile substances condense and can be easily separated from the gas stream. The recovered solvents can then be recycled for production or disposed of properly.
Cooling technology from Messer for loss-free power lines
Superconductivity offers the possibility of transmitting electricity over shorter distances without power losses. This saves energy and - in the case of electricity from fossil sources - reduces CO2 emissions. To reach the superconducting state, the special ceramic cables have to be cooled down to a very low temperature. For this purpose, Messer has developed a new cooling technology that vaporizes liquid nitrogen under negative pressure to reach a temperature of minus 209 degrees Celsius. This system has already proven its reliability in practice. In the future superconductors could replace conventional power cables in major cities or connect offshore wind farms with substations on land.
More environmentally friendly production processes thanks to Cryocontrol
In the production of modern pharmaceuticals or in fine chemicals, certain process steps require both very low and relatively high temperatures. For example, after a high-temperature phase, a reactor must be cooled down very quickly to as low as minus 100 degrees Celsius. This is where cryogenic gases and Messer's Cryocontrol process come into play. The cold of minus 196 degrees of liquid nitrogen is immediately available without any major effort. In conjunction with the Cryocontrol process, reactors can thus be cooled down in just a few minutes, saving a great deal of time and energy. The liquid nitrogen evaporated in this process can be used in gaseous form for other applications such as inertization, so that the gas used is optimally utilized.
Energy savings in cooling processes thanks to Ecovap
The Ecovap evaporator developed by Messer is used wherever liquid gases are evaporated in an industrial process. Here, it "harvests" the resulting cold and makes it available for cooling processes. In this way considerable amounts of energy can be saved.
Environmentally friendly alternatives in transport refrigeration
Conventional refrigerated trucks use refrigeration compressors for their construction. These make noise and draw their energy from diesel engine of the truck or from a separate diesel generator - both with corresponding emissions. In addition, more and more cities are restricting entry for diesel trucks. A real alternative with a large cold content is cryogenic gases, the use of which generates neither noise nor exhaust gases. Messer offers several systems with different dimensions for efficient and low-emission transport refrigeration/
- The SnowDrop station converts recovered liquid CO2 into dry ice snow, which is placed in the lid of a MiniCryo transport box. With this filling the contents of the crate remain cold for up to 24 hours.
- The Cryo2Pack system serves the same purpose: it produces dry ice snow within seconds that is filled into plastic bags and can be used in any portable cooler.
- The Siber system is larger and moves on its own rollers onto the truck bed. It is also cooled with dry ice.
- The EcoLIN solution cools the entire cargo area of a refrigerated truck with the high cold energy of liquid nitrogen. The gas flows from a tank through a heat exchanger where it evaporates and indirectly cools the truck bed. There is no liquid nitrogen in the cargo area, making it safe and easy to use.
Saving fuels during melting and recycling
The scarcer and more expensive fuels are, the more important their efficient use becomes. With its Oxipyr burners Messer offers modern plants for oxygen combustion, which significantly increases the thermal efficiency when using gaseous and liquid fuels. At the same time, the CO2 footprint is significantly reduced, for example when melting and recycling aluminum.
France: closing the recycling loop for PET bottles
The Sources ALMA company in Saint-Yorre, France, recycles products made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) using nitrogen from Messer. The previously cleaned PET products are crushed into chips and melted down. The liquid material is then extruded and cut into small pieces. This produces granules made from recycled PET (rPET).
High-purity nitrogen from Messer plays a crucial role in the production of food-grade PET granules: it keeps oxygen away from the process, thus protecting the material from oxidation and removing harmful substances. At Sources ALMA rPET is used to produce PET bottle blanks. This site is the first bottle recycling center in Europe to be integrated into a bottling line. This shows that it is possible to create a closed loop for PET bottles on an industrial scale. With the recycling and through eliminated transports, Sources ALMA in Saint Yorre saves around 20,000 tons of CO2 equivalent per year.
Germany: clean exhaust air in surfactant production
At its site in Steinau, Germany, Evonik produces biodegradable specialty surfactants, primarily for the cosmetics and detergent industries. Production requires solvents that escape in gaseous form in certain process steps. Of course, these exhaust gases should not and must not be released into the atmosphere, which is why they are separated from the exhaust gas stream with the help of a DuoCondex plant. Evonik already operates two of these plants in Steinau, which are controlled together. They operate alternately and ensure continuous waste gas purification around the clock.
Germany: cold grinding supports efficient and safe recycling processes
Messer also presented its expertise in cold grinding at the Powtech trade fair in Nuremberg, Germany, in 2022. With the help of cold grinding, composite materials can be economically separated into single-variety components and thus recycled in an environmentally friendly manner. Cold grinding with gases can also come into play in the recycling of lithium batteries. The batteries must first be crushed and disassembled in a shredder; here, the inert and cryogenic properties of gases inhibit the extreme flammability of lithium and ensure greater safety in the recycling process.
Green rail without overhead lines
Trains cannot run on electricity everywhere. Although as many existing lines as possible are to be electrified, this would be too costly for numerous branch lines. So alternative drive systems are needed for a climate-neutral rail system. This is where electric trains powered by fuel cells and hydrogen come into play.
As with cars, they offer significantly greater ranges than battery-electric variants. Other practical advantages have to do with the alternation of day and night: most trains run during the day, so their batteries would need to be charged at night. But when it's dark, less green electricity from renewable sources is available. This makes climate-neutral charging of electric locomotive batteries more expensive at night.
With green hydrogen as an energy carrier, on the other hand, the day-night cycle becomes an advantage. The electrolysers for splitting water can preferably be operated during the day, when green electricity is plentiful and available at a low price. This also lowers the price of hydrogen. It can then be easily stored, unlike electrical energy, before being used to fuel trains at night. Refueling with hydrogen takes only a fraction of the time compared to charging batteries. Grid electricity at night is predominantly gray, requiring fossil energy, while renewable hydrogen remains green even in moonlight.
Partnership with Toyota on environmentally friendly public transport
Together with Toyota Tsusho, Messer offers the "H2 One Stop Shop". With this comprehensive solution, bus fleet operators receive everything from a single source - vehicles, infrastructure, hydrogen filling stations, logistics services, financing, and of course the hydrogen as well as all the services required for operation. Billing is per kilometer driven.
Supporting H₂ refueling
In Eastern Europe Messer intensified its supply of hydrogen - by supplying existing filling stations as well as operating its own mobile hydrogen filling station.
USA: hydrogen pumping system helps save CO₂
Messer has installed a new pump system for liquid hydrogen at an automotive manufacturer in South Carolina, USA. It supplies forklifts and other fuel cell-powered vehicles with environmentally friendly fuel. In order to further reduce the plant's CO2 footprint, Messer is working with the customer on other projects that will also benefit from the new system. This applies to the conversion of the vehicle fleet to fuel cell-powered vehicles and the use of hydrogen as an environmentally friendly fuel in burners and boilers.
Spain: Messer acquires a stake in Spain's largest electrolyser
A consortium led by Repsol and consisting of Enagás, Iqoxe and Messer is working together on the planning and construction of Spain's largest electrolyser. It will be located in the industrial park of Tarragona, will have a capacity of 150 MW in the first phase and will be operational in 2025. The electrolyser will preferably use renewable energy from the surrounding area and consume as little water as possible to produce renewable hydrogen and oxygen.
The renewable hydrogen will be used as a feedstock in local industry as an industrial fuel but will also find use in mobility and will be fed into the natural gas transportation grid. The renewable oxygen is also used by the surrounding industry and distributed via Messer's existing gas pipeline network.
Germany: Hydrogen tank for glass manufacturer
A hydrogen tank has been installed on the premises of glass manufacturer Schott in Mainz, Germany. The hydrogen stored in it by Messer is used for tests in the glass melting plant, where it is mixed with the natural gas previously used and is intended to replace it on a pro rata basis. This will enable the glass manufacturer to take a further step towards climate neutrality.
Germany: Green hydrogen for buses and trains
Fuel cell-powered buses and trains are to run in the Düren district in the near future. The joint venture "HyDN" was founded for this purpose. "HyDN" - a neologism made up of Hydrogen and the vehicle registration number of Düren (DN) - is building a state-of-the-art electrolysis plant for the production of green hydrogen at Brainergy Park in Jülich. As part of the HyDN joint venture, which also includes RWE, Siemens and the district of Düren, Messer is responsible for the hydrogen supply. Messer will also market some of the green hydrogen produced for other applications in the region. As one of two managing directors, Frank Hopfenbach, Director Finance and Administration at Messer Industriegase, heads the joint venture.
Slovakia: Country's first hydrogen filling station
In February 2022 the country's first hydrogen filling station was opened in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is located on Messer's premises and can - after prior registration - also be used by private individuals to refuel hydrogen-powered vehicles. Messer intends to use the operation of this hydrogen filling station to gain practical experience in Slovakia and to use it for the construction of further hydrogen filling stations, at which buses and trains can then also be refueled.
Czech Republic: Grey hydrogen with environmental benefits
Hydrogen has always been used in the extraction of tungsten from an oxide compound in Bruntál in the Czech Republic. Messer has been supplying hydrogen for the reduction furnaces in Bruntál since 1998, with demand rising steadily in recent years. In order to meet this and to avoid emissions when delivering the hydrogen, Messer recommended that the hydrogen be produced directly on site by steam reforming.
Messer coordinated the execution of all installation work. Two compact steam reformers were delivered and integrated into the existing networks. They operate around the clock and also at weekends when production at the customers' plants is at a standstill. During this time, the gas is temporarily stored in the existing tanks. Their content supplements the gas flow during the week and balances demand peaks.
Although the steam reformers, which went on stream in 2022, do not produce green hydrogen, the reduction in the CO2 footprint they achieve is nevertheless considerable: around 700 truck trips are saved each year, and there is also no need for the energy required for high compression when filling the hydrogen.
Messer takes part in "Earth Hour
In 2022 Messer took part in "Earth Hour" for the fourth time, switching off the lights at its sites in Krefeld and Bad Soden between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm on March 26. Earth Hour, an initiative of the WWF, is the largest climate and environmental protection campaign worldwide. Environmental and climate protection are an integral part of Messer's values: Messer's gases and know-how make an important contribution to the UN's declared goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
Germany: Hesse state government urged to embark on hydrogen future
A cross-industry hydrogen initiative has presented the state government of Hesse, Germany, 2022 with an impulse paper for an accelerated ramp-up of the hydrogen economy. The members of the initiative, which also includes Messer, are calling on the state government to make concrete proposals for the development of H2 ecosystems and binding targets so that the establishment and expansion of a functioning hydrogen infrastructure can succeed. This includes hydrogen production and supply, transport routes, storage concepts and consumption terminals, as well as a targeted and sustainable funding framework. The cross-sector hydrogen initiative also shows how much expertise is already available and what concrete projects already exist.
