Climate change is a fact and it is a serious man-made environmental challenge, threatening humanity as well as the biosphere.

 

As worldwide energy consumption grows and resources become more scarce, climate change increasingly threatens our environment. Our growth continues to depend heavily on the burning of fossil fuels. Since industrialization, greenhouse gas emissions have grown enormously. CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere are higher today than at any point during the last 650,000 years. If CO₂ emissions continue to rise, temperature increases of 1.1 °C (lowest emission scenario) to 6.4 °C (highest scenario) are forecast by the end of the 21st century, which would have drastic consequences for civilization and our entire biosphere. 

 

The most effective tools to fight the negative consequences of climate change are innovations in all areas of energy supply and energy consumption. We can substantially reduce greenhouse gases with existing technologies that increase energy efficiency and lead to sustainable resource use. The energy savings achieved also offer the opportunity to combine the ecological benefits of intelligent climate protection solutions with economic advantages.

 

Siemens is the world leader in climate protection technologies. Our comprehensive portfolio in power generation, distribution and consumption includes highly effective measures to reduce C0₂ emissions. In fiscal 2011, products and solutions from the Siemens Environmental Portfolio enabled Siemens customers worldwide to reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by a total of around 317 million tons, an amount equal to the total annual CO2 emissions of the megacities Berlin, Dehli, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo.

 

 

Siemens’ Environmental Portfolio embraces nearly all relevant areas involving the generation, transmission, distribution and use of energy – whether it be for buildings, lighting, transportation or industry – as well as other environmental technologies. Nearly all Divisions in the four Sectors Industry, Energy, Infrastructure and Cities, and Healthcare contribute to the portfolio. The company’s highly efficient gas turbines, retrofitting of older power plants, wind power systems, energy-efficient lighting and ecofriendly trains make the biggest contributions toward reducing CO₂ emissions on a regular basis.

 

To qualify for inclusion in the Environmental Portfolio calculations, a product must reduce greenhouse gas emissions or, as an environmental technology, help combat water and air pollution. All Siemens products in the area of renewable energy meet this criterion. The CO₂ abatement potential of other Siemens products is calculated on the basis of specific reference values. So, for example, the potential savings generated by today’s most advanced and efficient gas turbine power plants are calculated by comparing emission volumes per generated kilowatt hour with the average figure for all power plants worldwide. The contribution of light-emitting diodes and energy-saving lamps is similarly calculated. Solutions for modernizing older power plants are also included in the Environmental Portfolio, since increasing plant efficiency substantially reduces CO₂ emissions at a relatively low cost. The energy savings achieved by optimizing electricity consumption in buildings are calculated on the basis of a before-and-after comparison.

 

In fiscal 2011, Siemens generated revenue of around €30 billion with products and solutions from its Environmental Portfolio, compared to slightly less than €28 billion in fiscal 2010. Siemens aims at exceeding the €40-billion revenue mark with green technologies by the end of fiscal 2014.

 

 

Viet Nam is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change while is also among the most populated countries worldwide. There are more and more reports about the likely increase in extreme rainfall and drought, and slow changes like rising sea level rise and warming temperatures. Increased demand for energy consumption by more than 10% per year has also caused negatively impacts on the environment.

 

 

Siemens has been assisting Vietnam to counteract climate change by implementing highly efficient power plant technologies in Vietnam, such as our combined cycle power plants with efficiency levels of more than 57 percent. We are the turnkey contractor and key supplier for major power plant projects like Phu My 2-1 Extension, Phu My 3, Ca Mau 1 & 2 Power Island and Nhon Trach 2 Power Island. They are some of the most efficient thermal power plants in the country, and contribute considerably to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission. Efficient Energy Transmission is another important aspect in Energy supply. Our high-tech equipments have been installed in many major substations of the national grid such as Son La 500kV and Quang Ninh 500kV thus enabling electricity to be transmitted over long distances with low loss. In additions, our energy saving automation and drive products are extensively used in many of the country’s industries such as Pulp and Paper (VinaKraft), Cement (Hoa Phat, But Son), Steel (Thep Viet), Food and Beverage (Kinh Do, Coca Cola, Heineken) etc. Osram, a Siemens business entity, has been supplying millions of power saving bulbs in Vietnam each year. And many major hospitals in Vietnam including Bach Mai, Cho Ray are equipped with our energy-saving healthcare systems and products. 

 

 

Climate change is the greatest and most demanding challenge that confronts mankind today. To mitigate global warming to the greatest extent possible, we must decouple economic growth from energy usage; and we must do this worldwide.

 

Siemens environmental portfolio not only provides many answers to the current energy and growth challenges: it is also a triple win. There are actually three parties who benefit from sustainable, efficient, and attractive products – Siemens customers, future generations, and the company itself. Siemens’ environmental portfolio allows it to grow “sustainably” in the best possible sense of the word, making it a win-win-win situation.  

 

 

By Erdal Elver, President and CEO of Siemens Ltd. Vietnam