Environmental benchmarking
Environmental benchmarking is a method for assessing and managing the environmental indicators of Samruk-Energy JSC by comparing its activities with those of the best companies in the market and industry. This approach enables the study of international experience in managing environmental aspects and the implementation of best practices in its own production.
Due to the absence of publicly available environmental indicators for companies for 2023, data from 2020 to 2022 were used for the analysis.
The benchmarking relies on two indicators:
- Use of freshwater for technological and domestic purposes;
- Direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) greenhouse gas emissions.
To identify the environmental trend, the largest energy companies in Kazakhstan and globally were analysed:
- Enel;
- ERG;
- RusHydro PJSC.
Production indicators
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | Electricity generation, billion kWh |
Installed capacity, GW |
Electricity generation, billion kWh |
Installed capacity, GW |
Electricity generation, billion kWh |
Installed capacity, GW |
| Samruk- Energy JSC | 31.3 | 6.200 | 35.6 | 6.215 | 35.88 | 6.275 |
| ERG | 18.8 | 3.387 | 19.9 | 3.387 | 19.23 | 3.387 |
| Enel | 207.1 | 84 | 222.6 | 87.1 | 227.8 | 84.6 |
| RusHydro PJSC | 151.5 | 38.1 | 143.8 | 38.2 | 135.7 | 38.4 |
Greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1, 2)31, 32
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | Direct GHG emissions, million tons СO2 eq (Scope 1) |
Indirect GHG emissions, million tons СO2 eq (Scope 2) |
Direct GHG emissions, million tons СO2 eq (Scope 1) |
Indirect GHG emissions, million tons СO2 eq (Scope 2) |
Direct GHG emissions, million tons СO2 eq (Scope 1) |
Indirect GHG emissions, million tons СO2 eq (Scope 2) |
| Samruk-Energy JSC | 40.679 | - | 40.308 | 0.015 | 32.993 | 0.013 |
| ERG*** | 29.710 | 0.116 | 30.268 | 0.1256 | 29.931 | 0.0535 |
| Enel** | 45.7 | 11 | 51.6 | 9.9 | 53.1 | 10.1 |
| RusHydro PJSC** | 30.13 | -* | 30.58 | -* | 30.88 | -* |
*The companies did not disclose Scope 2.
** Enel and RusHydro PJSC are engaged in energy production based on the operation of hydroelectric power plants, which result in minimal greenhouse gas emissions.
*** ERG, in addition to energy production facilities, has mining and processing facilities, Scope 1 includes all types of production facilities.
31 Companies of Samruk-Energy JSC in 2020 and RusHydro PJSC did not disclose Scope 2.
32 Enel and RusHydro are engaged in energy production based on the operation of hydroelectric power plants, which result in minimal greenhouse gas emissions.
Freshwater withdrawal, million m3
| Company | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samruk-Energy JSC | 211.380 | 211.247 | 230.694 |
| ERG | 1,910 | 2,069 | 1,989 |
| Enel | 51.5 | 73.10 | 76.0 |
| RusHydro PJSC | 706.26 | 672.96 | 686.76 |
Specific indicators
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | m3/thousand kWh |
tons of СO2eq/ thousand kWh |
m3/thousand kWh |
tons of СO2eq/ thousand kWh |
m3/thousand kWh |
tons of СO2eq/ thousand kWh |
| Samruk- Energy JSC | 6.75 | 1.30 | 5.93 | 1.13 | 6.43 | 0.92 |
| ERG | 101.60 | 1.59 | 103.97 | 1.53 | 103.43 | 1.56 |
| Enel | 0.25 | 0.27 | 0.33 | 0.28 | 0.33 | 0.28 |
| RusHydro PJSC | 4.66 | 0.20 | 4.68 | 0.21 | 5.06 | 0.23 |
The companies differ in terms of capacity and volume of generated electricity, so the comparative analysis of specific indicators of greenhouse gas emissions and freshwater withdrawal will be conditional.
According to the results obtained, Samruk-Energy JSC has the following trend:
- annual decrease in specific GHG emissions: in 2021 by 13%, in 2022 by 19%; at the same time, the indicator remains approximately at the same level for ERG and Enel, and RusHydro PJSC shows an increase in specific GHG emissions: in 2021 by 5% and in 2022 by 9.5%;
- The average value of specific water withdrawal for 2020-2022 is 6.37 m³/ thousand kWh, which is higher than Enel by 21 times (0.3 m³/ thousand kWh) and RusHydro PJSC by 33% (4.8 m3/ thousand kWh), but significantly lower than ERG by 16.16 times (103 m³/ thousand kWh).
Based on the results obtained, Samruk-Energy JSC should continue to reduce its carbon footprint, focus on modern technologies and methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and continue modernization of both main and auxiliary equipment to reduce water intake for technological needs subsidiaries and affiliates.
