Energy and water consumption

The most important energy sources are the energetic processing of our waste products, natural gas and the utilization of combined heat and power. Together they account for about three quarters of total energy consumption. Water usage is discriminated into two main classes, industrial process water and non-contact cooling water. Essentially all cooling water cycles are closed loop systems, whereby the exchanged heat is dissipated by airflow and evaporation (cooling tower) or by river water (Visp, Switzerland).

Energy Consumption

The total energy requirement in the year under review was 8406 terajoules, 7.6% up on the previous year. The main energy sources used by Lonza in 2010 were: natural gas (34%), electricity (32%) and utilization of waste (29%). Liquid fossil fuels accounted for 4% of the overall energy consumption. Energy from renewable sources accounted for 3% of the electrical energy consumed, a significant decrease from the level of 15% recorded the previous year. One of the main reasons is the electric power market in Switzerland, where Lonza draws a significant proportion of electricity of not exactly known origin, by default reported as 'non-renewable'. Lonza focuses on balancing economic and ecological aspects. A number of energy efficiency measures are in the process of being realized at different sites. As a matter of course these efforts will continue.

Energy Consumption in Terajoules (TJ)

Total energy demand 2010 was 8406 TJ (7.6% up on the previous year). The reduction in 2006 was essentially the result of the divestiture of the polymer and intermediates division.

Distribution of energy sources 2010

Water Consumption

Reporting on water consumption is separated into "industrial water" and "cooling water". Industrial water: Water which is polluted by industrial or sanitary processes and installations and which has to be treated in own or external waste water treatment plants. Cooling water: Water used for energy transfer (cooling, heating), which is kept in a network separated from industrial water and which can be released back to receiving waters (rivers, lakes) without further treatment.

Industrial Water

Industrial water consumption, which is largely dependent on production volume, capacity use and product mix, amounted to 5.2 million cubic meters in 2010, up 7.7% on 2009 and at level with the average of the previous three year period 2007-2009. The significant fall of >50 % of industrial water consumption in 2006 is accountable to changes in the asset portfolio (divestiture of the Italian Polynt - polymer and intermediates - and German LOFO - foil production). In the reporting year the peptide and bioscience assets acquired in 2006 and 2007 represented 3% of total industrial water consumption (2009: ~4%) underlining the dominance of chemical and pharma API production at other business sectors in water usage.

Industrial Water consumption (in 1000 cubic meters)

Industrial water consumption of all Lonza sites active in the respective year.

Cooling Water

With the exception of the plant in Visp (Switzerland) all Lonza production sites are using closed-loop cooling water systems with heat dissipation by means of airflow cooling towers. In Visp, water from the river Rhone is used in in large volumes to dissipate non-recoverable heat energy by heat exchangers. The river water cooling system is completely separated from any industrial water system and is equipped with special protection and control measures to secure its water quality. Total cooling water used by Lonza in 2010 amounts to 126 million cubic meters. Visp, with 125 million cubic meters once-through river water, has a >99% share in this amount. All other Lonza sites together have a cooling water consumption of 0.76 million cubic meters (mainly by evaporation).

Cooling Water consumption of Group without Visp plant (in 1000 cubic meters)

The effect of the restructuring of the asset portfolio by the divestiture of the polymer and additives buisiness in 2006 is clearly visible.