LGC switches to renewable electricity in Germany

From January 2022, the electricity we purchase for five of our sites in Germany - Augsburg, Berlin, Kulmbach, Luckenwalde and Wesel - will be generated from 100% renewable sources.

For LGC, energy, in the form of natural gas and electricity, represents about half of our carbon footprint. ​

Our new contract with supplier Stw. Gronau means the electricity we purchase and use will only come from renewable sources. This includes generation through solar, wind and biomass generation.

​Over the past 12 months, approximately 3,200 MWh of electricity was used across our sites in Augsburg, Berlin, Kulmbach, Luckenwalde and Wesel. This is a similar amount of energy as used by 1,000 houses each year.  

By switching to 100% renewable electricity, this will help LGC avoid generating almost 1,500 tonnes of CO₂e per year, which is the equivalent to the emissions produced by 800 cars driven for a year. 

To contextualise this amount of carbon, 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide (at atmospheric pressure) would fill a balloon 3 times the size of the Eiffel tower. Therefore, the reduction of 1,500 tonnes from our German sites is equivalent to a balloon 45 times the size of the Eiffel tower.

To continue the reduction of our carbon footprint from energy production, we are looking to increase the use of renewable energy at all our sites, wherever possible. 

This article is part of a series of stories charting our journey to carbon net zero. 

Notes

• The average household uses 2,900 kWh (2.9 MWh) of electricity (Ofgem)
• Average car releases 228g/mile – and drives 7,600 miles per year generating 1.7t CO₂e - Link
• Carbon dioxide gas at 15 °C and standard pressure has a density of 1.87 kg/m3. At standard pressure and 15 °C - a metric ton of carbon dioxide gas would fill a sphere approximately 10 metres across. A sphere with diameter of 1,000 metres would hold 100 tonnes. Link