Mitigating carbon footprints in the manufacturing process for power sector

As unsurprising as it is shocking, environmental risks account for the world’s top five most critical “long-term” threats, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2022 Global Risks Report. Over the next 5–10-year period, climate action failure, extreme weather, biodiversity loss, natural resource crises, and human environmental damage sit squarely ahead of societal, technical, and geopolitical risks, such as involuntary migration and geo-economic confrontations. At COP 26, world governments promised USD 130 trillion to pursue global climate goals.
Energy sector in transition
The energy sector is in the transition towards more flexible and sustainable power systems. This transition is being witnessed across all continents. Wärtsilä is assisting its customers in decarbonising by developing market-leading technologies such as future-fuel-enabled balancing power plants, energy storage and optimisation systems, and lifecycle services.
There are multiple drivers that are critical to the energy transition. The most prominent ones are the falling price of renewables, the increasing demand for green energy by consumers, and the need to tackle climate change.
Carbon neutrality by 2030
In late 2021, Wärtsilä announced its “Set for 30” commitment. By 2030, the goal is:

• to become carbon neutral in its own operations, and
• to provide a product portfolio that will be ready for zero-carbon fuels.

These carbon neutrality targets cover direct greenhouse gas emissions from the company’s own operations, including the Research and Development and factory engine testing areas, as well as purchased energy.
To have a product portfolio that is ready for zero-carbon fuels by 2030, Wärtsilä is investigating several future fuels, including green hydrogen, synthetic methane, methanol, and ammonia, with a view to providing complete flexibility across engines and the fuel chain. Its engines can currently run on natural gas, biogas, synthetic methane, or hydrogen blends of up to 25 percent hydrogen. Wärtsilä expects to have an engine and plant concept for pure hydrogen operation ready by 2025.
Wärtsilä has invested a lot in research and development and made a long-term effort in product development focusing on fuel flexibility, energy efficiency, and emissions reduction. This is a natural step in Wärtsilä’s aim to shape the decarbonisation of marine and energy systems.
Reducing the carbon footprint of the manufacturing process
Wärtsilä’s factory at Khopoli, in the state of Maharashtra, manufactures auxiliaries and pipe modules and reconditions and upgrades engines, ship propellers, and components.
Multiple initiatives have been undertaken at the Wärtsilä factory to enhance sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint. These include, for example, setting up a solar unit, which will help in generating electricity from solar energy; initiatives towards electrical energy savings; and rainwater harvesting, which reduces groundwater extraction. In addition, there are other initiatives that contribute to carbon footprint reduction, such as waste reduction, container recycling, and plantation coverage. Active initiation and contribution to corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects like the Green Village Upliftment Program in Mahagaon, Pune District, Maharashtra, are initiatives towards this endeavour.
Corporations can promote climate action at various points along the value chain. While the speed and timing of changes will be dependent on each corporation’s structures and operations, now is the time for multinational companies to lead the change in addressing global environmental risks. It’s a strategy that will pay dividends in more ways than one.

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