Wintershall Dea announced its support for the European Commission’s (EC) “Fit for 55” package denoting its support for a climate-neutral Europe 2050 set out in the new European Climate Change Act and the 55% climate target for 2030, a press release stated.
“There is no time to lose. Like the European Commission, we see the urgent need for swift action to achieve our climate targets. That includes generating power from natural gas instead of coal, and using new technologies,” Mario Mehren, CEO of Wintershall Dea, commented in support of EC’s decision.
Accordingly, Wintershall Dea pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from all production activities worldwide to net-zero by 2030 and by working on new technologies in the field of hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS). The company will maintain its methane intensity of 0.1% or lower beyond 2025.
“Change has always been part of our corporate DNA. We shape change and seize opportunities, and have done for 125 years: from potash and salt to crude oil, then to natural gas and now to technologies such as CCS and hydrogen. We are tackling emissions reduction,” Mehren added.
Mehren made some remarks on the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) stating that improving the system can further push the function of the ETS as a climate protection engine. He also delved into other key points such as; the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II); Revision Energy Efficiency Directive (EED); and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
Dawn Summers, COO of Wintershall Dea and President of GasNaturally, has also been active on the topic stating that “the gas industry has the will and the technology to contribute to protecting our climate, driving decarbonization, and delivering the step change needed to reduce emissions in line with the 1.5C target. Through continuous innovation and development in the gas value chain the industry is committed to helping countries reach net-zero” says
It is worth noting that 70% of Wintershall Dea’s portfolio consists of natural gas and contributes to an efficient, climate-friendly, and at the same time socially acceptable energy supply.
“We can only achieve these goals with a technology-neutral framework. Especially if we want to maintain social acceptance and secure Europe’s business competitiveness at the same time,” Mehren remarked.
