2008 I 2009 Sustainability Report - Econsense

companies concerned within the framework
of National Allocation Plans (NAPs). Companies
who need more certificates than they
have been allocated have to purchase additional
certificates; companies who receive
more certificates than they need can in turn
sell certificates. All market participants are
free to decide whether they buy emission
certificates or implement emission reduction
measures.
Fermenter
A fermentation tank – in a biogas plant, for
example – in which biogas is produced from
biomass. Biogas can be processed and upgraded
to natural gas quality and used as a
substitute for natural gas.
Flue gases
Flue gas is the term used to describe the
waste gas occurring during combustion
processes in power plants, waste incineration
plants, production processes etc. (Postcombustion).
Fuel cell
Converts chemical energy into electrical energy
and heat through reverse electrolysis.
This efficient technology for decentral energy
generation can be used to power appliances
and automobiles as well as for the
supply of electricity and heat in buildings
and industry.
German Energy Industry Act (EnWG)
The EnWG, which came into force in July
2005, created a regulatory framework for
the supply of electricity and gas. The core
elements of the Act are the definition of
network operator obligations, rules governing
network access and network fees, and
the monitoring activities of the German
Network Agency or the state regulatory
authorities.
German Energy-Saving Ordinance (EnEV)
The amended EnEV legislation came into
force on October 1, 2009 and now includes
stricter requirements for the energy efficiency
of new buildings and the modernisation
of old buildings. In future, the energy
requirement for heating and hot water in
residential and non-residential buildings is
to be reduced by an average 30%.
German Renewables Act (EEG)
The "EEG", the German Renewables Act, is
designed to ensure the priority of electricity
from all renewable energy sources like sun,
wind, water, biomass and geothermal energy
as well as sewage, pit and landfill gas. The
legislation came into effect in 2000 with
the aim of significantly increasing the share
of renewables in overall electricity generation
in Germany in line with the objectives
formulated by the EU.
Gigawatt (GW)
One gigawatt equals one billion watts or one
million kilowatts (kW).
Greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gases (GHG) caused by human
activity influence the natural greenhouse
effect. The increasing concentration of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere results
in less heat being radiated back into space
from the earth's surface, and this in turn
leads to a rise in the average temperature on
earth. The Kyoto Protocol defines the following
relevant greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide
(CO 2), methane (CH 4), dinitrogen oxide
(N 2O), partially halogenated hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PCFs) and
sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6).
Immissions
Immissions are the effects of the emitted
pollutants on plants, animals and humans
as well as buildings once they have spread in
the air, water or soil or have been chemically
or physically transformed.
Integrated Energy and
Climate Package (IECP)
At a policy meeting in Meseberg in August
2007, the German government decided on
the key elements of an Integrated Energy
and Climate Programme (IECP). The programme
jointly drawn up by the Federal
Ministry of Economics and Technology and
the Federal Ministry of Environmental Affairs,
Nature Conservation and Reactor Safety
took on concrete form in December 2007.
It is a combination of promotion measures,
economic instruments and regulatory
measures covering energy production, energy
efficiency, transport and private households,
comprising a total of 29 individual
measures.
Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC)
The IPCC was set up in 1988 by UNEP (United
Nations Environmental Programme) and
the WMO (World Meteorological Organisation).
All countries who are members of
these organisations can nominate scientists
for the IPCC. The main remit of the IPCC is
to assess the risks of climate change and to
document avoidance strategies. The IPCC
does not conduct its own research but collects
the findings of research in the various
disciplines, including in particular the field
of climatology. It provides a coherent
overview of this material in the IPCC Assessment
Reports. These reports are prepared in
working groups and approved in plenary
session. All this takes place within the
framework of a complex, multi-phase
procedure involving lead authors and coauthors
for individual articles, coordinators
and lead authors for the overall report and
independent experts for the individual sections
and the report as a whole. These independent
opinions are provided not only by
the nominated and selected scientists but
also by representatives of the governments
of the member states.
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