Renewable Energy
Energy use accounts for a large part of Elopak’s CO2 emissions and efforts to reduce energy consumption are a high priority. We are focusing on two key strategies on the path to a renewable energy future. These include undertaking energy efficiency measures across the company and reducing emissions associated with the purchase of energy.
Energy use accounts for a large part of Elopak’s CO2 emissions and efforts to reduce energy consumption are a high priority. We are focusing on two key strategies on the path to a renewable energy future. These include undertaking energy efficiency measures across the company and reducing emissions associated with the purchase of energy.
In terms of energy efficiency, Elopak has improved the last ten years. Overall, the amount of energy used per produced carton has been reduced by 16% since 2008. In 2019, we set emission reduction targets which are approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, and through this program, further energy optimizing projects will be initiated.
In 2015, Elopak became the first packaging company and the first Norwegian company to join the RE100 campaign, committing to sourcing 100% renewable electricity from 2016 onwards for all fully owned production units and offices worldwide. It makes sense that cartons made predominantly from renewable materials are produced with 100% renewable electricity, and we are proud to have sourced 100% renewable electricity since 2016. 
To reduce the emission factor of the electricity supply means replacing fossil-based electricity with renewable based electricity. To achieve this, companies can either invest in new renewable generation capacity directly, or source renewable electricity by using certificate systems. Elopak has chosen the latter approach, and is purchasing energy certificates, both in Europe and in North-America, that covers 100% of the electricity consumption.
The European Energy Certificate System (EECS) is the official European system for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) that was created to enable cooperation within renewable energy across borders. The system works such that all producers of renewable electricity are granted a number of certificates corresponding to their actual production (in MWh). The producers can sell these certificates, called Guarantees of Origin (GO), to consumers of electricity. When the GO is used by a consumer, it is cancelled in the system to prevent double counting. More renewable energy demand leads to more investment in renewable energy and less greenhouse gas emissions. Every country participating in the energy certificate system has a central organization which oversees the national markets for GOs. In addition, the entire European system is overseen by the Association of Issuing Bodies. This ensures the credibility of the energy certificate system.
Guarantees of Origin are a system to trace the source of electricity produced
- The electrons in the power grid originate from both fossil-based and renewable sources. It is impossible to physically track individual electrons. What can be done, however, is to allocate renewable and fossil-based electricity, by way of the invoice/payment flow.
- By purchasing Guarantees of Origin, you purchase the right to claim that your electricity is green. A system ensures that double counting is impossible.
- More renewable energy demand leads to more investment in renewable energy. And less greenhouse gas emissions.
The whole system is regulated by the European Energy Certificate System (EECS).