Ambitious Climate-Protection Measures

RACE TO ZERO

WACKER has joined Race to Zero, the UN’s carbon neutrality initiative. We want to pursue specific projects and measures to halve our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and to ensure that how we work and make products achieves net-zero by 2045.

“WACKER and the chemical industry as a whole are ready to play their part in making the energy transition and the reversal of climate change a success.”

Dr. Christian Hartel, President & CEO of Wacker Chemie AG

50% decrease in greenhouse gases by 2030

Net-zero by 2045

15% reduction in specific water withdrawal by 2030

25% drop in emissions relating to upstream products by 2030

15% drop in specific energy consumption by 2030

We Lead the Way.

WACKER is setting itself new, ambitious goals to achieve net-zero in 2045. The new goals to cut greenhouse gases are science-based targets. In other words, they are consistent with the goal of keeping the global rise in temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius and therefore comply with the Paris Agreement. WACKER has joined Race to Zero, the UN’s carbon neutrality initiative. We are thus voluntarily committing to the 1.5-degree target and undertaking to issue transparent progress reports on our course toward net-zero.

2030 is a key milestone on our way to meeting this goal. That’s why we’ve set ourselves even more ambitious sustainable development goals:

100 percent up

Sustainable Products

By 2030, all our products will meet defined sustainability standards (in line with WACKER Sustainable Solutions).

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50 percent down

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

By 2030, WACKER wants to have cut its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent relative to 2020.

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25 percent down

Upstream-Product Emissions

By 2030, WACKER expects a 25-percent drop in emissions relating to the upstream products it uses.

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15 percent down

Water Withdrawal

WACKER has set itself a new goal relating to specific water withdrawal, which we aim to have reduced by 15 percent by 2030.

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-15 percent

Energy Consumption

By 2030, we will lower our specific energy consumption by 15 percent.

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100 percent and beyond

Sustainable Suppliers

Our goal is for 100 percent of our key suppliers to meet defined sustainability standards.

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WACKER Products to Combat Climate Change

Thermally Conductive Specialty Silicones for Electric Vehicles

Most experts agree that the next generation of cars will be electric. The advancement of electromobility is at the top of the automotive industry’s agenda. Various obstacles need to be overcome, however, before electric cars can be mass-produced. A key aspect is how to protect sensitive automotive electronics from overheating.

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Dispersible Polymer Powders for Wall Paints

Thanks to their low weight and space-saving packaging, polymer binders for wall paints in powder form reduce CO2 emissions during shipment.

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Dispersions and Dispersible Polymer Powders in Thermal Insulation Systems for Buildings

WACKER and Dubai Municipality demonstrate energy-saving, internationally standardized construction technologies in action with two model houses.

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Polysilicon, the Most Important Raw Material for Solar Modules

Quartz is the starting material for the production of hyperpure polysilicon, the most important raw material for photovoltaics. Between quartz and hyperpure polysilicon lie not only a number of highly complex working steps that are, technically speaking, extremely sophisticated – but also, in the case of WACKER, over 50 years of experience. All combining to produce the best polysilicon available on the market.

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Certified Alternative

In VINNAPAS® eco dispersible polymer powders, WACKER is now offering polymers that are based on acetic acid derived from wood waste.

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The Silicone Sealant That Conserves Fossil Resources

With ELASTOSIL® eco, sustainable building is possible across the entire life cycle – from production right up to the finished building.

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Adhesives Are What Make Wind Power Possible

the rotor blades – as much as 80 meters long in newer on-shore wind turbines – consist of two half-shells bonded firmly together with reinforcement elements, known as shear webs. These adhesive bonds are capable of transmitting the powerful forces that arise during turbine operation.

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Specific Measures and Projects by 2030

Silicon Metal

WACKER is adopting specific projects and measures to meet its new goals. For instance, the company is performing feasibility studies on the extent to which its Norwegian site in Holla can substitute sustainably generated charcoal for the coal currently used in silicon-metal production there. WACKER sees such a move as an important lever in significantly lowering its carbon footprint. Other options available to the company so as to achieve even more sustainable silicon-metal manufacturing processes include the use and storage of carbon and the increased use of hydroelectric and wind power in order to meet the site’s electricity demand.
Silicon metal is a key raw material for producing silicones and for polysilicon, which is used to make solar cells and semiconductor devices. The quantities produced in Holla cover roughly a third of WACKER’s annual demand.

Producing Hydrogen from Renewable Sources

Other WACKER projects are concerned with the value-adding potential of using CO2 as a raw material for chemical products. For instance, WACKER is planning to build a 20-megawatt electrolysis plant – known as RHYME Bavaria – at its Burghausen site. This plant is intended to use renewable electricity to produce hydrogen, which, together with CO₂ from existing production processes, is then converted into methanol in a synthesis plant. The expected capacity of the synthesis plant is 15,000 metric tons per year. Feasibility studies on comparable projects at other sites are underway.

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Electrification

WACKER regards the systematic electrification of its production processes as essential if further progress is to be made in the decarbonization of its manufacturing base. We are already in a very good starting position in this respect. 60 percent of WACKER’s production processes are already electrified – a much higher figure than in many other chemical companies.

Dr Hartel

“As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of specialty chemicals and polysilicon, we play a major role in the energy transition and in reducing the impact of climate change. Products that enable our customers to bring climate-friendly and resource-efficient products onto the market already make up about two thirds of our portfolio. In the coming years, we intend to significantly expand our portfolio of particularly sustainable products, and make considerable efforts to defossilize our production. We consider that this holds significant potential for our business success.”

Dr. Christian Hartel, President & CEO of Wacker Chemie AG

Our sustainability strategy in detail

Sustainability News

May 18, 2022
WACKER Donates €600,000 to War Victims in Ukraine

May 10, 2022
School is an anchor in difficult times

Mar 24, 2022
Statkraft to Supply WACKER’s Silicon Metal Production in Norway with Green Electricity from Svean Hydropower Plant

Go to a summary of all our sustainability news articles

Responsible Care sculpture

Voluntary Commitments

Sustainability can only be achieved together and across borders. That’s why voluntary initiatives are the basis of our sustainable corporate management.

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People in a field hand-in-hand with their arms raised

Human Rights

Across the globe, WACKER is committed to upholding human rights and expects partners and suppliers to do so too.

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Schoolchildren walking toward their school in India

Social Responsibility

We fulfill our role and responsibilities in society. We actively encourage our employees to support the common good.

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Sustainability library

Downloads

Sustainability Factsheet: Integrated Production

(PDF 113.8 KB) - english

Sustainability Factsheet: Climate Protection

(PDF 220.2 KB) - english

Sustainability Report

WACKER’s sustainability report contains information and key figures all about our sustainability work. In keeping with the spirit of sustainability, our report is available as an online version only.

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