Corporate

Net Zero at Power Systems

Our mission is climate neutrality by 2050. 'Net Zero at Power Systems' plots the way ahead.

Our way to Net Zero

The biggest threat to humanity is climate change. It is our mission to join the fight against it.  That is why we are clearly committed to the Paris Climate Agreement and its goal of reducing global warming to well below two degrees Celsius with efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial era through climate action. To that end, we have not only established 'Sustainable Power Solutions', our new business division tasked with building a sustainable future in the field of energy, drives and marine propulsion, but have also launched an ambitious new program - 'Net Zero at Power Systems'.  In this program, one focus is gearing our product portfolio towards greater sustainability, since the biggest potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions lies with our products.

In total, the Power Systems products sold in 2019, the year before the pandemic, will generate some 109 million tons of greenhouse gases over their service life in the field – almost double that emitted by the Greater London region every year. Our goal is to achieve a 35% decrease compared to 2019 in the greenhouse gases emitted by newly sold products. Our ultimate goal is climate-neutrality by 2050. With the same spirit we are also setting milestones for gearing our production and value chain to long-term climate neutrality. To accomplish these missions, we will be working closely with our parent company Rolls-Royce and  will let ourselves be guided by the 'Science-Based-Targets' initiative.

On the way to Net Zero: We recognize in all our products great potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – be it by means of electrification, hybridization, system integration or alternative fuels.  

What our experts say

What does the yourney to net zero in the marine industry look like?

What does the yourney to net zero in the marine industry look like?

"We really had to combine an understanding of infrastructure development, fuel density, and therefore the best balance between power and weight in the space we had," says Denise Kurtulus. Our Vice President Global Marine. The result: A standardized architecture for each type of vessel.

Andreas Görtz on new sustainable mtu solutions

With passion for tomorrow's technologies

"To secure tomorrow's mobility and energy supply in a climate-neutral way, we need to break new technical ground and explore new avenues. At Rolls-Royce, we are passionate about meeting this challenge," says Andreas Görtz, head of the Sustainable Power Solutions business unit.

The technical solutions to achieve the energy transition are there!

"The technical solutions to achieve the energy transition are there!"

The technical solutions to achieve the energy transition are there. But how do these technologies become economically viable? Daniel Chatterjee, Director Sustainability, Technology Strategy & Regulatory Affairs, provides insights.

Sustainable fuels make internal combustion engines cleaner

One key to the transformation of off-highway mobility and on-site power generation lies in fuels. Modern Power-to-X technologies use green electrical power in electrolysis to produce hydrogen. Taking C02 derived from the air or biomass, this hydrogen is synthesized into E-fuels such as e-methane, e-methanol or e-diesel. Power-to-X technology makes the C02-neutral cycle possible. By 2023, our leading Series 2000 and Series 4000, which account for 85% of engine sales, will be able to run on sustainable fuels such as e- and second-generation biofuels. Some of our engines for industrial applications and for power generation can already run on e-diesel or second-generation biofuels such as HVO. In parallel, our developers are working on hydrogen and methanol engines.    

Zero emissions: Fuel cells for C02-free energy and driving power

From 2025, CO2-free fuel cell systems will form a central pillar of product strategy at Rolls-Royce Power Systems. We commissioned our first demonstration unit on our site in Friedrichshafen in 2021 already. We are planning to develop complete, scalable, integrated solutions in the megawatt range in cooperation with a cellcentric, a joint venture company set up by Daimler Truck AG and Volvo Group AB. Fuel cells will be initially deployed to feed balancing energy into the public grid to compensate fluctuations, as well to generate continuous power and provide emergency power in data centers. Subsequent extension of our fuel cell portfolio to cover marine propulsion applications is also planned. (Click here for more information.)  

Our roadmap to Net Zero

2023

From 2023, our main engine series will be ready for sustainable fuels.  

2025

From 2025 onwards, we will provide our customers with CO2-free energy supply with fuel cells.

2030

By 2030, we aim to reduce the CO2 emissions of our new products and solutions sold by 35% compared to 2019.  

2050

By 2050, the entire Rolls-Royce Group will be carbon neutral.

Foundation laid by Green and High-Tech program

Our point of departure into a climate-neutral future was the  Green and Hightech Program  which we launched back in 2015. To create the solutions of tomorrow, we are concentrating on alternative fuels, electrification, efficiency enhancement, system integration and digitalization. In conjunction with this program, we are investing some 500 million euros in developing sustainable technologies to build a future without fossil fuels.  

Our goal: sustainable production

Not only our products are becoming more sustainable, but also our production and our value creation chain. This year, we will also plot milestones for gearing both towards long-term climate neutrality.  Since 2014, for example, we have already cut CO2 emissions by 20% at our six largest sites worldwide - through the expansion of photovoltaic systems, the increased use of combined heat and power plants, e-mobility and energy efficiency projects. But this is just the beginning. Overall, we see a CO2 savings potential of 97,000 metric tons per year. To do so will involve scrutinizing not only our own production processes and test stands, but also the unfinished products we buy, and the deployment of our products on customer sites.    

We're ready to go – join us on the journey

There was never a more exciting time in the field of energy, drives and marine propulsion. Climate-neutral mobility and power generation is possible, and will come. Even today, we offer products that generate significantly lower or virtually zero C02 emissions – mtu Hybrid PowerPacks for rail applications, for example. We are also working on mtu hybrid propulsion for marine applications. In 2018, we began producing mtu battery energy storage systems the size of freight containers that do not generate C02 emissions during operation and store electrical energy from renewable sources. Battery energy storage systems can also be integrated with microgrids and smartly connected with renewable energy systems or diesel and gas-powered generator sets, thus contributing to sustainable, off-grid power generation.The future has already begun. From now on, it's all about pulling together and continuing on this path. We look forward to working not only with our customers and partners, but with policymakers to create the conditions that will make the energy-turnaround reality.    

Our latest publications on sustainable products

Power Generation

Rolls-Royce launches mtu hydrogen solutions for power generation

Read more

Power Generation

Hydrogen-based energy for the port logistics of the future

by Peter Thomas

Duisburg port is set to become the first inland container terminal in Europe to achieve climate neutrality – thanks to mtu hydrogen-based power solutions.

Read more

Rail

World premiere: mtu Hybrid PowerPack from Rolls-Royce enters passenger service

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How does shipping go green?

by Lucie Maluck

E-fuels produced by Power-to-X technologies to unlock the green energy revolution in the world of shipping.

Read more

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