More than three years ago, the EU Commission announced the Green Deal, which calls for greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced to 60 percent of 1990 levels by 2030. Climate neutrality is then to be finally achieved by 2045. This seems more than ambitious, and not just to experts, in view of current developments in sustainable energy generation. What's more, there is little concrete evidence to guide industry so far - even though time is pressing in view of the serious changes that need to be made to production methods. If this target line is really serious, many things will have to change, and very quickly at that. Here, the Commission wants to simplify the regulatory framework and reduce bureaucracy through initiatives so that important industries can develop better in the EU, speed up approval procedures and also simplify access to financing. Access to critical raw materials is also to be improved. Legislative proposals on this are due to be published in March, but it remains to be seen to what extent this will succeed in meeting the real needs of industry.
Energy-intensive companies in particular, and this undoubtedly includes many businesses in the surface finishing sector, from electroplating shops to galvanizing plants and paint shops, will have to deal intensively with the "Green Deal". That's why, even if not much is regulated yet, it's important to start early with an inventory and determine where and how much greenhouse gases are generated in the manufacturing process. Just collecting one's own data on CO2 emissions, analyzing it, and developing strategies to reduce it takes time. It should also be borne in mind that not only the emissions caused directly in the plant but also upstream and downstream emissions must be taken into account. The Green Deal divides this into Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3. The CO2 Product Passport is also a topic that companies need to increasingly address. How can CO2 emissions for a product be summarized across a branched manufacturing chain with minimal bureaucracy and cost?
You can find a concrete example of how to deal with the "Green Deal" in surface technology in the March issue of Surface Technology Magazine or shortly online at oberflaeche.de