Energy Efficiency

As an integrated oil and gas company, OMV operates large facilities and is also a major energy consumer. The amount of energy we use creates a significant impact on the environment. Effective management of energy consumption reduces the environmental cost of our operations, increases financial savings thanks to energy efficiency, prevents non-compliance with regulatory requirements on energy use, and mitigates the climate effects of GHG emissions.

Energy efficiency measures therefore have a considerable effect on issues relating to energy consumption of interest to stakeholders:

• Governmental authorities: compliance with EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) regulations relating to the submission of emissions allowances within EU ETS, compliance with the EU Energy Efficiency Directive requiring greater energy efficiency in all stages of the energy value chain
• Shareholders and other stakeholders with a direct financial interest in OMV: financial savings resulting from reduced energy consumption, lower production costs, and lower GHG emissions
• NGOs/NPOs: reduced impact of our operations on the environment

The OMV Group Environmental Management Standard requires that all OMV businesses and activities use energy responsibly, conserve primary energy resources, and implement energy management plans in accordance with ISO 50001. The potential for reducing energy use is identified in annual campaigns encouraging improved environmental performance, including energy consumption. For example, we have set targets for refineries to reach certain energy index ratings through annual monitoring campaigns. Based on their energy index rating, we identify and assess areas for improvement in energy efficiency. Subsequently, we decide which measures to implement to improve energy consumption as part of our environmental governance process.

Energy Consumption

In PJ

Energy efficiency measures in OMV operations are closely linked with technical improvements directed at reducing energy use while achieving the same operational output. Process optimization and increasing energy efficiency to save costs and reduce CO₂ emissions are a strong focus of our refineries. Energy efficiency measures implemented in our three refineries in 2020 make an annual decrease of more than 22,000 t CO₂ equivalent and energy savings of 246 TJ possible. GHG reduction projects implemented in our refineries between 2009 and 2020 have so far enabled a total reduction of 760,000 t CO₂ equivalent.

Revision Program at Schwechat Refinery Leads to Energy Efficiency Innovations

Four steam turbines generate 85% of the electricity needed to operate the Schwechat refinery. During the revision program, three of the four steam turbines were overhauled. Two of the turbines have already been fitted with state-of-the-art 3D blade geometry, with the third set to follow in the coming year. Cutting-edge blading enhances the performance of the steam turbines and thereby their efficiency, while simultaneously reducing CO₂. By the end of 2020, 40,000 t were reduced. 

SDG targets: 7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; 9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

In 2020, we continued to develop projects to obtain electricity (gas to power; G2P) or electricity and useful thermal energy (Cogeneration or Combined Heat & Power; CHP) from gas in Upstream. For instance, in OMV Petrom Upstream, we finalized G2P Icoana and G2P Țintea Phase 2 and initiated other two new G2P projects: G2P Oarja in the Muntenia Vest asset and G2P TF Baicio Vest in the Muntenia asset. These projects allow us to supply between 61% and 66% of the annual electricity used by our OMV Petrom Upstream business and to also cut production costs.