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

Youtube Video

Lower emissions with HVO

Using HVO for our mtu gensets we had a reduction in soot or in particles of up to 80 percent. And besides that, the tests showed that this is really a drop in fuel which can be easily used in our engines without changing anything in regard to hardware, software – just put it in and use this fuel in any blend, any mixture.

Andreas Görtz on new sustainable mtu solutions

Energy transition now: Why decentralized solutions are key

Decentralized instead of centralized: Why fast, flexible energy solutions are crucial now—and how they are driving the energy transition forward—is explained by Andreas Görtz, Head of the Sustainable and Mobile Power Solutions Business Units at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

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.    

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 delivers first emergency power generators for data centres with Environmental Product Declarations

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Power Generation

Rolls-Royce and AVK strengthen partnership – five years of guaranteed capacity for emergency power generators

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Corporate

Rolls-Royce and Forsee Power sign a strategic partnership to accelerate electrification

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Commercial Marine

Rolls-Royce successfully tests first pure methanol marine engine – milestone for more climate-friendly propulsion solutions

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