Energy
We constantly improve energy efficiency at the Grupa Azoty Group companies.
We constantly improve energy efficiency at the Grupa Azoty Group companies. We streamline processes, embrace up-to-date energy-efficient technological solutions and support energy-saving initiatives across the organisation. The projects run in 2021 ranged from relatively easy-to-implement projects, such as energy efficient light fittings, to major process upgrades that significantly reduced energy consumption. These efforts helped to significantly reduce our annual energy consumption.
Total savings from reduced energy consumption and improved energy efficiency [GJ]1
| Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty S.A. | |||||
| Total savings from reduced energy consumption and improved energy efficiency [GJ] | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 |
| 8,550 | 9,782 | 51,001 | 32,000 | 74,637 | 88,300 | 11,177 | 12,834 | |
1 A restatement was made relative to data presented in the non-financial report of the Grupa Azoty Group for the 12 months ended December 31st 2021.
Lowering the use of energy helps save money. Measures implemented allowed the leading Group companies to generate cost savings in excess of PLN 5.3 million in 2021. The cost savings achieved through reduced energy consumption and improved energy efficiency rose almost PLN 200 thousand year on year in 2021.
Grupa Azoty S.A.
- construction of a new draft cooling tower for the Lactam Department,
- optimisation of the prilling tower operation (Stage 1) – savings of 2,694 GJ annually,
- installation of inverters on two pumps supplying ammonium nitrate solution to the pressure tank at the 11th level of the prilling tower building – savings of 202 GJ annually,
- construction of a dry slag collection unit at the Grupa Azoty S.A. Power Centre, once completed, the hydraulic conveyor system will be decommissioned and the consumption of electricity and water will be reduced. Furthermore, the project will allow us to discontinue slag storage and to recover dry slag for use in road construction,
- construction of a turbo generator set using steam from the Sulfuric Acid Department and the Dual-Pressure Nitric Acid Unit, and 4 MPa steam pipeline, as a result, waste heat will be utilised to generate electricity,
- upgrade of power-generation facilities to provide Grupa Azoty S.A. with a peak-load/reserve source that would meet the emission requirements arising from BAT conclusions as well as to maintain a sustained generation capacity of the process heat source for Grupa Azoty S.A.,
- adapting the flue gas desulfurisation unit to BAT Conclusions, the project will result in the upgrade of boiler K5, i.e. the main source of heat for Grupa Azoty S.A., to meet the new requirements set out in Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/1442 of 31 July 2017 establishing best available techniques (BAT) conclusions for large combustion plants,
- neutralisation unit (for ammonium nitrate), the project will reduce steam heat consumption in the production process and mitigate negative environmental impacts of the production process.
- upgrade of the heating water network, consisting in replacement of old pipelines insulated using a technology from 50 years ago with a new system of pre-insulated pipes, will significantly reduce heat losses.
Grupa Azoty Puławy
- purchase and installation of a second section of the E-503 cooler on the third and fifth PA synthesis units; which reduced heat consumption by 7,113 GJ,
- construction of a water heater station for water from the Kurówka river at the Water Preparation and Pre-Processing Department using waste heat from the PPA unit; which reduced heat consumption by 32,390 GJ,
- upgrade of the vacuum unit in the TK distillation columns system, which reduced heat consumption by 48,797 GJ,
- upgrade of the unit for CO2 absorption in potassium carbonate solutions for Line 4 of the gas pretreatment unit at the Ammonia Department, which reduced the overall energy intensity of the process and brought down the wastewater discharge volumes.
Grupa Azoty Police
- replacement of five water supply pumping units at the EC-1 CHP plant (total drive capacity: 1.5 MW),
- change of the method of control of thrust fans at the EC2 CHP plant; the new solution is based on frequency converters, which allows energy consumption to be reduced; the agitator power supply and control systems were also upgraded,
- replacement of luminaires with energy-efficient ones; these measures helped reduce energy consumption by 3,752 MWh,
- replacement of inserts in central-heating heat exchangers,
- regeneration of exchangers in the EC2 system.
Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn
- thermal upgrade of columns at the Alcohol and Aldehyde Department,
- replacement of ammonia compressors,
- thermal upgrade of the 7MPa steam pipeline with energy consumption reduced by 2,872 GJ,
- thermal upgrade of Oxoplast units with energy consumption reduced by 3,249 GJ.
The energy management system operated by Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn was certified for compliance with the ISO 50001:2018 standard in 2021. The system fully controls processes related to the economically efficient use of heat and electricity at the company.
Other Group companies
- Grupa Azoty Fosfory implemented technical solutions to reduce the use of a seawater pumping plant for cooling sulfuric acid. As a result, the company’s energy consumption went down by 641 GJ.
- Grupa Azoty Koltar reduced electricity consumption by 50 GJ by replacing lighting points, including trackway lighting towers.
Energy consumption within the organisation, including information on the type of energy carrier used2
Fuels used to self-generate electricity, by category of energy carrier (GJ)
| Category of energy carrier3 | Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty S.A. | ||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Natural gas and high-methane natural gas | 0 | 0 | 1,517,373 | 1,401,236 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gaz ziemny oraz gaz ziemny wysokometanowy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,136 | 6,802 | 14,785 | 0 |
| MEK | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 74,210 | 100,784 | 0 | 0 |
| Mazut | 0 | 0 | 1,693 | 3,091 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fine coal and thermal coal | 952,668 | 926,801 | 1,239,060 | 1,128,040 | 2,440,631 | 2,756,992 | 2,888,584 | 2,944,547 |
| Fuel oil | 1,601 | 1,500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18,431 |
| Total | 953,693 | 928,301 | 2,758,126 | 2,532,367 | 2,518,977 | 2,864,578 | 2,914,397 | 2,962,978 |
2 A restatement was made relative to data presented in the non-financial report of the Grupa Azoty Group for the 12 months ended December 31st 2021.
3 All categories of fuels used in electricity generation are derived from non-renewable energy sources. The companies do not use renewable fuel sources.
Direct and indirect energy consumption within the organisation [GJ]
| Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty S.A. | |||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Electricity, heat, cooling and steam purchased for consumption (GJ) | 2,256,5554 | 2,537,974 | 1,581,432 | 1,721,856 | 3,973,150 | 4,287,560 | 961,1394 | 1,115,374 |
| Electricity, heat, cooling and steam generated by the organisation (GJ) | 6,228,0804 | 6,111,199 | 9,328,019 | 8,909,067 | 16,581,682 | 17,259,855 | 2,308,7624 | 2,549,101 |
| Electricity, heat, cooling and steam sold by the organisation (GJ) | 1,496,7494 | 1,784,016 | 454,755 | 555,036 | 1,266,193 | 1,536,008 | 325,0534 | 527,263 |
| Total energy consumption within the organisation (GJ) | 6,987,8864 | 6,865,157 | 10,454,696 | 10,075,887 | 19,288,639 | 20,011,408 | 2,944,8484 | 3,137,212 |
4 A restatement was made relative to energy consumption data disclosed in the Grupa Azoty Group’s 2020 integrated report.
Energy intensity ratio (EIR)5 [%]
| Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty S.A. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Total | 33.64 | 30.86 | 33.04 | 33.23 | 47.51 | 50.81 | 50.55 | 49.13 |
| ∆2021/2020 | -8% | +1% | +7% | -3% | ||||
5 Pursuant to the Regulation of the Minister of Climate on the method of calculating the electricity intensity ratio by industrial consumers, the ratio is defined as cost of electricity used for own needs to gross added value, calculated as the arithmetic mean from the last three years preceding the year in which the obligation is performed.
