Energy and climate change policy are a major challenge for HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group whose main activity is crude oil refining. With the continued increase in energy demand, the refining industry is playing a leading role in ensuring energy efficiency, contributing substantially to achieving SDG7 for affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy.
HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group is dealing with climate change and its consequences, by investing in energy saving and RES projects, and by increasing its energy efficiency.
Regarding the monitoring and reporting of GHG emissions, HELLENIC PETROLEUM Group systematically monitors direct CO2 emissions (Scope 1) as well as indirect emissions (Scope 2 and 3) to the maximum extent of its activities.
With regards to Scope 1, the Group’s refineries have participated, since its formation, in the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), while as of 2013, it has followed all procedures pertaining to the monitoring, calculation and verification of emissions according to the regulations of the third phase of the EU ETS for period 2013-2020.
It is underlined that, during the EU ETS 3rd Phase, the compliance costs have increased significantly, due to the smaller number of free allowances allocated in relation to the actual emissions.
It is noted that the future of the EU ETS will directly depend on its planned structural reform, as well as on the implementation of EU energy and climate policies. The Group closely monitors such developments and participates in consultations, so as to protect the competitiveness of European refining.
The Group also monitors the indirect emissions from its activities. It is indicatively referred that the Group monitors CO2 emissions from sea transport of raw materials and products and the carbon footprint of all activities in the Group’s office buildings (headquarters and Aspropyrgos, Elefsina and Thessaloniki refineries - Certification MyClimate).
Investing in increasing energy efficiency in CHP units in all refineries contribute to the avoidance of a significant percentage of CO2 emissions (diagram below), which would be emitted if the self-generated electricity came from a supplier with a different fuel mix (such as PPC).
The Group’s total energy consumption as shown in the chart below increased by 10% compared to 2015. The difference is mainly due to the increased consumption at the Aspropyrgos refinery, as the refinery was shutted for an extended period due to maintenance in 2015 - thus consumption in the previous year was quite low. It should be noted that the total energy consumption for the Elefsina refinery, includes the energy from the fuel consumed in the hydrogen unit for the years 2013-2016 (these figures were not included in the verified fuel quantities in the calculation of the CO2 emissions depicted in the previous reports).
