News, sustainability
Certified climate protection projects
to offset the greenhouse gases we generate
As can be read on our sustainability page, our strategy is: Firstly, to avoid and reduce greenhouse gases wherever possible. This is achieved through numerous different measures and projects that we actively support and promote at our company site, in our region, as well as throughout Styria and Austria. This includes, among other things, wild bee protection and the promotion of biodiversity through our flowering strip initiative, expansion of our photovoltaic systems, and sourcing 100% green electricity for our production, and much more. Only as a last resort, the amount of greenhouse gases that persist despite all our efforts is compensated for with certified international climate protection projects by Fokus Zukunft, ensuring that the Steirerkraft and Mutter Natur brands (PCF, Scope 3) are carbon neutral. We do this voluntarily, out of conviction, and with a sense of responsibility for a habitable Earth.
What is Fokus Zukunft?
Fokus Zukunft is an independent, external sustainability consulting company for SMEs. The services it offers range from calculating the carbon footprint of the entire company or specific products, to helping companies offset their footprint via high quality carbon credits, to helping companies develop and integrate a corporate sustainability strategy.
Why do we support international projects?
- Globality
Climate change is a global crisis. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where in the world the CO2 emissions are generated or reduced – what counts is the sum total of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. - Impact & availability
The internationally binding Kyoto Protocol says climate protection projects should be located in places where they can make a big impact in terms of avoiding or absorbing greenhouse gases. As a result, most projects of this nature are based in emerging/developing countries where new technology can potentially reduce emissions by a high amount. In addition, conditions in these countries are often far more favourable for renewable energy sources (solar, wind, water, biomass) than is the case in industrialised European countries – where, incidentally, there are very few approved and certified carbon offset projects. - Social responsibility
Besides benefitting the environment, climate protection projects in emerging/ developing countries also help to improve economic, social and ecological conditions for the local populations. This is turn will help the world achieve the Sustainability Goals developed by the UN (see illustration). Emissions trading plays a major role in transferring clean technology to emerging economies and developing countries and thus supporting sustainable economic development.
Why did we choose projects in India?
We chose India because that’s where we source some of our raw goods for international trade (organic seeds for baking, for example). By supporting projects that have a connection to the country, we support the people who live there. Just like the projects we’ve initiated back home in Styria, the aim is to improve biodiversity and quality of life on a local level – in this case, via approved projects in India.
Which climate protection projects does Estyria support to compensate for greenhouse gases?
Wind energy
Where? Wulanhua, Siziwangqi, Wulanchabu, Autonomy Region Inner Mongolia
What? Wind farm for clean power generation in Mongolia
How many tonnes of CO2 does it save? 95,903 tonnes of CO2 equivalents emissions per year
What does the project achieve? Based on the conditions of the project site, the project will operate 33 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 1500 kW, bringing the total installed capacity of the Inner Mongolia Duerbote wind farm to 49.5 MW. According to the manufacturer, the average lifetime of the turbines is 20 years, the estimated full-load hours are 2,305 hours per year, and the expected net electricity injection into the grid is 114,110 MWh per year to the North China Power Grid on the basis of a power purchase agreement.
Which of the UN’s SDGs does this support? 7) Affordable and clean energy: The project activity contributes to meeting the electricity deficit in Mongolia and thus improves the quality of life of the people. 8) Decent work and economic growth: During the construction and operation of the project, numerous short-term and long-term employment opportunities were created for the local population. 13) Climate action: The project contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and emissions of other pollutants from the local coal-fired power plants compared to a business as usual scenario by replacing part of the electricity from fossil fuel power plants.
>> Click here for more information on the project.
Wind energy
Where? Tamil Nadu by Orange Sironj, Indien
What? Generating clean electricity through the use of wind energy
How many tonnes of CO2 does it save? 594,764 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions per year
What does the project achieve? It is a large-scale wind power project with 100 wind turbines with a capacity of 200 MW. The wind turbines extend over several villages in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The energy generated will be fed into the Indian power grid and replace 635,976 MWh/year of electricity from the generation mix, which has so far mainly consisted of thermal/fossil power plants. With the operation of the wind turbine, anthropogenic emissions from thermal/fossil power plants will be replaced, about 594,764 t CO2e per year.
Which of the UN’s SDGs does this support? 3) Health and well-being: The use of wind energy helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels and counteract air pollution and related diseases. 4) Quality education: The project provides the population with better access to education.6) Clean water and sanitation: The project contributes to the supply of clean water and sanitation to the population. 7) Affordable and clean energy: The project generates approximately 635,976 MWh of wind energy per year. 8) Decent work and economic growth: The project provides direct employment with health and safety training in the workplace for around 15 people. 13) Climate protection measures: The implementation of the project will save approx. 594,764 t of CO2 per year compared to the baseline scenario.
>> Click here for more information on the project.
The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals
The 2030 Agenda contains 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). Together, they form a global plan to promote sustainable peace and prosperity and to protect our planet. After the Agenda was ratified in 2015, countries around the world began developing national development plans in order to achieve the common vision of fighting poverty and reducing inequalities. We likewise intend to include and pursue the goals in the course of our holistic, long-term corporate sustainability strategy.
See here for more information on the individual goals.
Ein kleiner Einblick
The biggest contract grower
of oil pumpkins PGI
Alwera AG, Estyria’s parent company, is responsible for production of the raw goods via a contract farming system. The two companies have for some years maintained the largest PDI area of oil pumpkin in Austria and they know the fields and the farmers personally.
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one
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Traditional Styrian
stamp press process
While modernity has brought progress in many areas, the traditional Styrian stamp press process is still the best way of making pumpkin seed oil. The main difference between this and other pressing methods is that we work with open roasting pans. At our plant, people check when the pumpkin seeds are perfectly roasted and so will yield the very best oil. This enables our experienced oil millers to produce the pumpkin seed oil that has won more prizes than any other – and which as a result of this type of pressing retains all the natural constituents. The untreated oil is not filtered; the particles that make it cloudy settle naturally when the oil is left to rest.
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About us
We are the specialist for pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, pulses and mushrooms. Plus an extensive organic range of dry products. We are passionate about natural foods with high-quality ingredients..
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+43 3178 2525-105