The citation described Bosch as a company whose scope of activities for generating renewable power, saving energy, and developing solutions for increasing the company's energy efficiency is exemplary". Baden-Württemberg's environment minister Franz Untersteller presented the award yesterday evening at a ceremony in the Neues Schloss palace in Stuttgart.
"Environmental protection and sustainable business management are a central objective of our corporate strategy. Nearly half of Bosch's research and development budget already goes toward eco-friendly products," said Dr. Werner Struth, the Robert Bosch GmbH board of management member responsible for environmental protection. "Bosch sales of renewable energy technology have grown strongly since 2004, from 125 million to around 1.5 billion euros in 2011."
The Reutlingen location has a sophisticated energy concept. All the waste heat from production processes is exploited, water is recovered, and the cooling-water and heating systems are interlinked. This reduces consumption of fossil fuels and saves on electricity for re-cooling. Other aspects of the energy concept include a combined heat and power (CHP) plant, heat pumps, flue-gas heat exchangers, a solar heating system, and a photovoltaic array. Together with efficient production processes and modern plant engineering, the concept helps Bosch save around 10,000 metric tons of CO2 a year at the Reutlingen location. Rather than by burning fossil fuels, 90 percent of the modern wafer fab's heat requirement is met by way of waste-heat utilization, a renewable form of energy.
In addition, the site management makes use of several electric vehicles. Soon, all associates will be able to recharge their electric cars or ebikes at the charge spots installed on site.
At its Reutlingen location, Bosch develops and manufactures sensors, semiconductors, and electronic control units for use in cars, smartphones, and ebikes. The site workforce comprises some 6,800 associates and 230 apprentices.
For more information about Bosch's commitment to the environment, visit http://www.bosch.com/de/com/sustainability/issues/environment_climate/environment-and-climate.html
Background: Environment Award for Businesses 2012
The Environment Award for Businesses 2012 is a management award presented by the state of Baden-Württemberg to companies that make exemplary efforts to maintain and protect the environment. Companies receive awards in the following three categories: Commerce and services, Trade, and Industry. In addition, a company receives the jury award for "energy excellence" if it is particularly exemplary in generating renewable power, saving energy, and developing solutions for increasing the company's energy efficiency.
Winning companies are selected by judges comprising representatives from business, environmental organizations, and science institutes, as well as from the ministries of environment, climate, and energy and of finance and economics. A total of 15 companies were nominated for the award in 2012. The award is endowed with a prize of 10,000 euros for each recipient. The prize money must be spent on environmental protection measures at the company. For further information (German only), visit http://www.um.baden-wuerttemberg.de/servlet/is/11067/
