Responsible approach to the environment
Environmental protection and responsible stewardship of Austria’s natural resources are paramount in everything we do. We pay particularly close attention to maximising environmental sustainability, optimising energy use, cutting emissions, use of waste avoidance technology, new methods for continuous surveillance and testing of plant and pipelines, as well as IT security and integritymanagement.
Efficient use of energy and resources
Where we can, we produce the energy required to operate our facilities ourselves, and we use it as efficiently as possible. We are also reducing vehicle emissions by operating a gas-driven (CNG) fleet, and rolling out the necessary refuelling infrastructure (CNG, LNG). This can slash emissions significantly compared to conventional fuel types.
Nature conservation
When constructing facilities, RAG takes preservation of the natural environment into account at the planning stage, as part of the environmental analysis. The amount of land used, emissions and damage to the landscape are kept to an absolute minimum. Land is restored to its previous, greenfield state once a project has been completed. When constructing permanent facilities, RAG is committed to creating environmental compensation areas. Cooperation with public authorities, environmental protection experts, planners, local authorities and landowners is especially important.
Sustainable energy centres
RAG is pursuing a strategy for the sustainable after-use of underground natural gas reservoirs. Under the banner of “sustainable energy mining”, it centres on the use of natural reservoirs in porous geological strata (which are called pore reservoirs). Each of our reservoirs is evaluated to assess its long-term suitability for energy storage, green gas production or geothermal projects. A large proportion of our natural gas reservoirs have already been converted into storage facilities for natural gas and other energy forms. The reservoirs are valuable and sustainable resources which ensure security of supply for Austria and Central Europe, and are a key component of a sustainable energy future. They enable significant volumes of conventional natural gas to be stored, and in future they will form the basis for seasonal storage of green gas and hydrogen, so that they can be supplied in large quantities whenever they are needed. This is security of supply in action. RAG’s sustainable energy mining concept also means that existing production infrastructure – pore reservoirs, above-ground facilities and pipeline systems – can be put to efficient use as sustainable regional energy centres, and expanded. At the same time, operations will be climate neutral.
