WACKER's Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development   

By Lily Wang  

WACKER has considered sustainable development an integral goal of production and business processes for many years. This ambition helps to reduce risks, enhance existing activities and tap into new fields. In doing so, the Group balances economic, ecological and social factors in everything it undertakes.
   Chemistry makes a vital contribution to global progress and sustainable development. Sustainable management is the basis of WACKER's long-term business success. In doing so, the Group offers products that are ideally suited to satisfying key megatrends, WACKER says.
   According to numerous experts, megatrends such as energy, urbanization, construction, digitization and rising living standards will increasingly stimulate demand for sustainable products and technologies. This especially applies to growing prosperity in emerging countries. Over the next 25 years, the global chemical market is set to double as a result of increasing wealth in BRIC countries, e.g. Brazil, Russia, India and China. This megatrend alone results in an annual growth rate of 3.7% for sustainable chemical products, citing a report of Corporate Development Sustainability at WACKER by Joerg Krey, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development.
   Solar energy (photovoltaics) is a major green energy source. Solar cells made of mono- or multicrystalline silicon represent by far the most important technology, despite alternatives such as thin-film or amorphous silicon cells. As one of the world's leading manufacturers of hyperpure photovoltaic silicon, WACKER is making a key contribution to securing the future energy supply.
   WACKER now consumes about half as much energy to produce one ton of polysilicon as it did just a few years ago. One result of these improvements is that the net energy generation per ton of polysilicon has risen to over 7 000 MWh. Some 6 000 tons of carbon dioxide are saved compared to the burning of coal to generate electricity.
   WACKER's contribution to reducing energy consumption is not limited to the production of polysilicon, but extends throughout the entire supply chain. Top-quality polysilicon is essential for the energy-efficient and inexpensive manufacturing of the product, thereby, WACKER manufactures and delivers only hyperpure polysilicon.
   Meanwhile, the advantages of solar energy have become well known throughout the world. All the major industrial countries, including the BRIC countries, with the exception of Russia, either subsidize solar energy or are preparing to do so. As a result, the solar industry is continuing to grow by leaps and bounds. Therefore, WACKER is aware of this responsibility and will therefore keep up its support of the photovoltaic industry through innovations in processing and by the continuous expansion of its production capacities.
   The building sector has vast potential in the energy efficiency. External insulation and finish systems (EIFS) are the simplest and most reliable method of conserving energy for buildings over the long term. Modern, high-quality EIFS systems are only possible with polymeric binders, which are used to enhance the adhesive and base coatings. As binders, VINNAPAS (R ) dispersible polymer powders provide good adhesion to all substrates and offer optimum flexibility, durability and shelf life. As a result, the entire insulating system enjoys greater resistance to weathering and wear, and lasts longer.
   What does the trend green building mean for WACKER? Peter Summo, vice president of Construction Polymers, WACKER POLYMERS, answers, "Primarily, green building focuses on the megatrends of energy, sustainability, higher living standards, and resource efficiency. In my opinion, future building materials and solutions must support these megatrends and promote them effectively - both in specific applications such as EIFS or solar systems, and via efficiency enhancement, so that fewer resources are used in the first place."
   "The construction industry must, so to say, reinvent itself ecologically. It needs to use products and solutions that increase efficiency to conserve resources and energy, thus reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Property developers and architects need to especially promote buildings that, as well as having appealing and functional design elements, meet sustainable and environmental requirements. The keyword here is efficiency: productive manufacturing processes lead to lower energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, resulting in fewer resources being used," says Bernd Judas, Vice President Construction Silicones, WACKER SILICONES.
   WACKER coordinates its processes with the help of an integrated management system (IMS). The system regulates workflows and responsibilities, taking equal account of productivity, quality, the environment and health & safety. It is based on legal provisions, as well as national and international standards. About half of all IMS regulations govern processes for plant, workplace and product safety, environmental protection, and occupational health & safety.
   WACKER's integrated production system is primarily based on silicon and ethylene as starting materials. This has many advantages, both economically and ecologically. In this way, the materials used and any production intermediates can be combined, processed and recycled repeatedly. Normally, by-products are immediately processed further and used in other production areas.