Discovering the Environment Management Emission Management Process

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to comprehend the best practices and adaptability of the emission management process.

Emission Management Process

The diagram illustrates an emission management process. It includes the following sequential steps managed by an environmental manager or environmental technician. Each step involves specific roles and responsibilities to ensure compliance and effective emission management.

The emissions management process supports the day-to-day operations, starting with data collection through validation and reporting.

The data collection is typically done by the operations or sites using workflow data-collection tasks or mobile devices. It's also possible to have automated data flow.

Data can be uploaded in the following way:

  • Through Microsoft Excel mass upload.
  • Manually, a mobile app is also available.
  • Through interfaces, for example, from process control systems.

As soon as the data is captured, data validations can start. The built-in validation tools can provide insights into the raw data captured and the visibility of what is still missing or tasks that are overdue. Any data changes, comments, or deviations can be captured and there is full auditability.

The data can already be automatically aggregated and calculated based on predefined rules. This depends on the setup of the location aggregation and calculation.

If there's missing data or a data-quality related problem, the solution allows for a deviation to be captured to track what data problems were found and what was done about it. This can be done at any point in time. Deviations can also be created automatically if limits are exceeded. Exceeded limits that need to be reported to authorities can also be investigated with deviations, and corrective actions can be assigned as a part of the investigation.

For more details, please refer to the following learning journey:

Discovering SAP EHS Management, environment management

Emission Management Process: Best Practices and Adaptation

Introduction

The emission management process plays a crucial role in sustainability and compliance reporting. It can be adapted to manage not only greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but also energy data, water usage, and air pollution. These data points are essential for reporting under frameworks like ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards), CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), and other regulatory requirements.

This section explores best practices for handling these data types and how the process can be customized to ensure accurate reporting and regulatory compliance.

Managing Energy Data for Emission Calculations

Importance of Energy Data in GHG Reporting

During the calculation of GHG emissions, energy input data must be collected and processed. This information is critical for determining various energy-related KPIs that organizations may need to report.

Data Collection and Standardization

A key challenge in energy data management is that different energy carriers (electricity, natural gas, biomass, and so on) are often measured in different units of measurement (UoM). To standardize data for reporting:

  • Assess Data Sources: Identify where energy data is coming from (smart meters, invoices, internal tracking systems, and so on).
  • Unit Conversion: Use calculations to convert energy usage into a standardized unit (e.g., MWh, GJ, kWh) for consistent reporting.

By structuring energy data properly, organizations can ensure accuracy in sustainability reporting and efficient integration into SAP EHS Management, environment management.

Managing Air Pollution Data

Understanding Air Pollution Reporting

The air pollution data management process is similar to GHG emissions calculations, but with a focus on pollutant-specific reporting. Organizations must collect energy input data, apply the right emission factors, and classify emissions by pollutant type.

Calculation of Pollutant Emissions

Using SAP EHS Management, environment management, organizations can track pollutant emissions for different energy sources. The process follows these steps:

  • Collect Energy Data: Capture the type and quantity of energy consumed (for example, natural gas, coal, biomass).

  • Apply Pollutant-Specific Emission Factors:

    Example: If natural gas is consumed, different pollutants must be accounted for:

    • CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)
    • N2O (Nitrous Oxide)
    • CH4 (Methane)

  • While the calculation process remains the same, the emission factors vary by pollutant.

    Store Emission Factors in SAP Compliance Requirements: Use regulatory lists to store pollutant specific emission factors.

    This structured approach allows organizations to automate air pollutant calculations and generate accurate regulatory reports.

Best Practices for Adapting the Emission Management Process

To ensure a robust, scalable, and adaptable emission management process, organizations should follow these best practices:

Data Integration and Automation

  • Integrate SAP EHS Management, environment management with IoT sensors, smart meters, and external databases to streamline data collection.

  • Automate data conversions and calculations to reduce manual errors.

Standardization and Compliance

  • Align with frameworks like ESRS, CSRD, and GHG protocol to ensure accurate reporting.

  • Use standardized templates and workflows to harmonize data across multiple sites.

Conclusion

The Emission Management Process in SAP EHS Management, environment management is a powerful tool that can be adapted to manage GHG emissions, energy data, water usage, and air pollution. By implementing best practices, organizations can ensure regulatory compliance, accurate reporting, and a structured approach to environmental management.

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