Koehler Group Climate Strategy: A Coal-Free Future is Within Reach

All news

As a family enterprise, the Koehler Group is focusing on the long-term future and the generations to come. By 2030, we have therefore set ourselves the goal of generating more renewable energy from our own sources on a balance sheet basis than is required for our paper production operations. Direct Scope 1 fossil-based greenhouse gas emissions are expected to fall by 80% by 2030, before achieving net zero by 2045. The transformation process within the Koehler Group is in full swing and, although these targets are ambitious, they remain realistic.

The newly published Climate Strategy is part of the “Visionary approach to climate protection” action area from the company’s Sustainability Strategy and sets out a roadmap on how the Koehler Group plans to fully replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.


To reach these goals, substantial investments have already been made, with further investments planned for the future. The Koehler Group is already investing more than EUR 70 million in the renovation of its combined heat and power station in Oberkirch, which is being converted to run on biomass instead of coal. Just recently, Thekla Walker, Minister of the Environment, Climate Protection, and Energy of the State of Baden-Württemberg, personally visited the site to see the construction works for herself. She praised the vital transformation away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy that the Koehler Group is pressing ahead with. While other companies are still deliberating on their next steps, the Koehler Group is already forging ahead, with its transformation is well underway. For example, the decarbonization of the power plant in Oberkirch will save around 150,000 metric tons of direct CO2 emissions each year, which will make a significant contribution to achieving the company’s Scope 1 Climate Strategy goals.

 

More details on the Koehler Group climate strategy can be found in the sustainability report.