German chems head green effort, says minister

08 May 2008 14:43  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--Germany’s chemicals industry is at the forefront of the country’s efforts to improve climate protection with its innovative range of energy-efficient products and solutions, a government minister said on Thursday.

 

“We need the industry’s chemical products if we are to take climate and environmental protection seriously,” said Economics Minister Michael Glos, at a gathering of industrlialists, politicians and scientists in Berlin.

  

The chemical industry was one of the most innovative sectors in Germany and innovation was key for successful climate change strategies and policies, he said.

 

Ulrich Lehner, president of German chemical industry association VCI pointed in particular to the role of the industry’s new bio- and nanotechnologies and catalysts in achieving energy efficiencies.

 

The industry was, for example, working on solar films to generate competitive electricity, he said.

 

Another example were nano-coatings that reduced friction in car engines and gears, offering fuel savings of some 10%, Lehner said.

 

As for their own plants, Germany’s energy intensive chemicals producers had cut energy consumption by one-quarter from 1990 to 2005 despite a 38% increase in production over the period, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emission by 46%, or 41m tonnes, Lehner said.

 

Electricity costs were a significant cost factor for the industry, with each euro 1 cent increase per kilowatt hour translating into an additional €400m/year ($617m/year) in costs, he added.

 

The talks were taking place at a meeting called “Dialogue between industry and environment: Climate protection with chemistry”.

 

($1 = €0.65)

 

For more discussion on the chemicals industry visit ICIS connect

By: Stefan Baumgarten
+1 713 525 2653

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