Reducing energy consumption at GIZ locations in Germany and abroad
The volume of energy consumed and the energy mix used varies greatly between GIZ’s locations in Germany and abroad. In Germany, our energy consumption figures cover electricity and heating/cooling energy. Outside Germany, consumption of fuel for company vehicles and generators is also included. Compared with the previous year, we have seen a significant reduction in total energy consumption in Germany.
Almost all the power used at GIZ locations in Germany is green electricity. In 2019, electricity from renewable energy sources accounted for around 85 per cent of the total. The consumption of conventional electricity stems from the use of spaces shared with other tenants, such as reception areas and lifts in leased properties. In a number of instances, GIZ has leased only part of the building and therefore has limited influence on the choice of electricity product. Wherever possible and economically viable, we are gradually introducing LED lighting and also striving to make savings with our ventilation systems.
Since electricity generated from renewable energy is not available to a sufficient extent for the country offices in most countries, we cannot achieve similarly high renewable energy figures outside Germany. We are aiming to install more photovoltaic systems to supply electricity in future.
promoting the installation of
photovoltaic systems in future
(© GIZ)
Primarily savings on heating and cooling energy in Germany
Energy consumption at GIZ’s locations in Germany mainly involves the use of heating/cooling energy and electricity. Heating/cooling energy alone accounts for just over half of consumption. The proportion of renewable energy is around 20 per cent, obtained from geothermal and photovoltaic systems.
Our locations in Germany and abroad vary enormously in terms of heating/cooling energy consumption. Heating/cooling energy consumption per employee in Germany stands at 2,650 kWh and has fallen by around 16 per cent in the last three years. Outside Germany, where heating is available in only a few countries or only partly based on electricity, the figure is just 389 kWh per employee.
The largest differences probably lie in direct energy consumption from motor vehicle fuels. Energy consumption from the combustion of fuels in company cars and generators does not play as central a role at GIZ locations in Germany as in other countries. The figure for 2019 was 94,826 kWh in Germany and 46,036,759 kWh abroad. While the GIZ fleet in Germany consisted of only nine cars at the end of 2019, the company ran several thousand vehicles in other countries. A total of 538 new vehicles were purchased for other countries in 2019.
Energy consumption broken down by heating/cooling energy, electricity, generators and fuel for company vehicles
Energy consumption
| Germany1 | Abroad2 | |||||
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Total energy consumption | ||||||
| Total energy consumption in kWh3 | 22,588,266 | 23,645,867 | 24,507,991 | 61,907,429 | 68,060,204 | 80,277,407 |
| Total energy consumption per employee in kWh3 | 5,395 | 5,118 | 4,458 | 3,687 | 3,938 | 4,404 |
| Electricity | ||||||
| Total electricity consumption in kWh | 9,436,887 | 9,823,444 | 9,939,494 | 16,978,607 | 18,550,541 | 19,717,828 |
| Total electricity consumption per employee in kWh | 2,254 | 2,126 | 1,808 | 1,011 | 1,073 | 1,082 |
| Share of green electricity | 85.6% | 85.3% | 85.4% | Data not collected in CSH | ||
| Heating/cooling energy | ||||||
| Total heating/cooling energy in kWh | 13,151,379 | 13,822,423 | 14,568,497 | 4,006,224 | 4,290,389 | 7,083,143 |
| Total heating/cooling energy per employee in kWh | 3,141 | 2,992 | 2,650 | 239 | 248 | 389 |
| Share of renewable heating energy in % | 12.4% | 10.9% | 15.8% | Data not collected in CSH | ||
| Fuel for company vehicles and generators | ||||||
| Total energy consumption from motor vehicle fuel in kWh | 230,314 | 163,635 | 94,826 | 34,607,212 | 39,670,808 | 46,036,759 |
| Total energy consumption from motor vehicle fuel per employee in kWh | 58 | 37 | 18 | 2,061 | 2,295 | 2,526 |
| Total energy consumption from generators in kWh | No data | 5,498 | 5,498 | 6,315,387 | 5,548,467 | 7,439,677 |
| Total energy consumption from generators per employee in kWh | No data | 1.2 | 1.0 | 376 | 321 | 408 |
| 1 The data for Germany corresponds to the balance on 18 November 2020. Due to better availability of data, some figures have been updated for 2018 and 2019. 2 The assessment system for other countries was expanded in 2019 and previous publications may show other data. Figures for 2017 are based on data from 2016 and 2017. Up until that point, environmental data was assessed on a biannual basis. Since 2018, environmental data has been collected annually in all CSH countries. From 2019 onwards, a new extrapolation system will also be used. 3 In Germany, total energy consumption covers electricity and heating/cooling energy. Outside Germany, consumption of fuel for company vehicles and generators is also included. | ||||||
