Energy Efficiency & Emissions
Approach
While energy efficiency and emissions reduction have been consistent priorities for Covia, in recent years the company has begun adding more data-driven analysis to our efforts. Through a comprehensive GHG emissions assessment, we analyzed and evaluated trends to determine our greatest climate-related opportunities and risks.
EARLY PROGRESS
In 2021, we began planning for several solutions and initiatives targeted toward emissions reductions and enhanced energy efficiency at key operations. Implementation began in early 2022 with $1.7 million deployed to projects aimed at reducing our overall carbon footprint.
Site-specific projects included:
- Piloting high-efficiency burners and installing a new dryer;
- Participating in voluntary curtailment programs;
- Housing equipment in heated areas to limit fuel usage;
- Upgrading exterior lighting to high-efficiency LED bulbs that run on timers;
- Replacing aging and inefficient air compressors;
- Insulating maintenance buildings to reduce the amount of energy required for heating and cooling; and
- Participating in power purchase agreements and
utilizing renewable energy, where possible. - Insulating maintenance buildings to reduce the amount of energy required for heating and cooling; and
- Participating in power purchase agreements and utilizing renewable energy, where possible.
In addition, our operations in Denmark have leveraged cutting edge technologies, including high-efficiency blowers and production processes, electric powered forklifts, and local procurement strategies to reduce emissions. These initiatives are being used to identify and test solutions that can be applied broadly across our operations.
We also have conducted and continue to target full energy audits of key sites to understand electricity and fuel use trends at the site-level. The findings allow us to make more informed decisions about our energy use and expedite the execution of efficiency measures.
ROADMAP AHEAD
In support of our continued progress, we partnered with a third-party consultant to establish a decarbonization roadmap that considers emissions reduction potential and implementation requirements. Given the heterogenous nature of our operations, a detailed analysis was conducted to test feasibility of approaches against production and site-specific characteristics.
Based on the findings of this analysis, we are working to implement the highest-potential strategies to meet our emissions-intensity reduction goals.
Identified strategies include:
- Building carbon integration into capex to activate site-level decarbonization activities;
- Procuring renewable energy and benefiting from “greening of the grid” potential;
- Considering onsite solar at strategic sites based on financial, regulatory, and physical criteria;
- Evaluating fuel switching for lower-carbon alternatives at key sites;
- Leveraging advanced process-control systems to maximize efficiency throughout each phase of the mining process;
- Upgrading and replacing energy-intensive equipment with low-carbon alternatives; and
- Improving transportation efficiencies for raw materials and finished goods.
Data integrity is the foundation of our reduction efforts, and we are working to improve automation of data collection to reduce the risk of human error in our reporting and to help ensure prompt data driven decisions with the highest degree of reliability possible. We have further refined our emissions calculation methodologies with third-party verification to ensure compliance with Greenhouse Gas Protocol standards and continue to monitor year-over-year emissions and take corrective actions, as appropriate.
Contact Covia today at ESG@CoviaCorp.com.
