At its most recent meeting, the Supervisory Board of BAUER AG appointed Lena Effinger as a member of the Executive Board with effect from 1st June 2025 (Figure 1). She will take on responsibility as Chief Financial Officer of BAUER AG.
Lena Effinger has been with the BAUER Group since 2006 and has headed the Group Finance department since 2016, where she was most recently responsible for financing and treasury.
“I would like to thank the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board for their trust and look forward to working closely with the entire management team,” said Lena Effinger.
“I am delighted to continue our long-standing collaboration with Lena Effinger on the Executive Board. She is an experienced finance professional who has been responsible for coordinating with our banks for many years and has significantly developed Bauer’s treasury in recent years,” said Peter Hingott, member of the Executive Board of BAUER AG.
Following the appointment of Lena Effinger, Hartmut Beutler will step down from the Executive Board. After leaving the Executive Board at the end of 2021, Hartmut Beutler had been reappointed as interim member of the Executive Board of BAUER AG.
The BAUER Group has continued to pursue its course towards becoming a sustainably successful and profitable company. In an environment where the political and economic conditions around the world remained challenging, Bauer considerably increased total Group revenues to 2,183.4 M €. At 89.1 M €, EBIT was on a par with the previous year’s 89.0 M €.
In this context it should be noted that the execution of a major project in Hungary alone contributed roughly 318 M € to the increase in total Group revenues. The earnings figures contain provisions that were created due to the difficulty in forecasting the ongoing progress of that major project. This was owing to additional sanctions entering into force in late 2024, which worsened the conditions for this major project.
Overall, the global environment was shaped by various influencing factors, including Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, attacks by Israel on the Gaza strip, a persistently weak construction sector in China and an ongoing weak economic performance in other Asian countries.
“We are basically satisfied with the key figures achieved in 2024 owing to the economic and political conditions, even though our long-term goals for the earnings figures are positioned at higher levels,” emphasizes Peter Hingott, Executive Board member of BAUER AG.
The company succeeded in making further progress with the development of the balance sheet figures. Total assets remain nearly unchanged at 1,683.6 M € despite the increased revenue, and net debt further reduced to 375.3 M €. The ratio of net debt to EBITDA further improved to 1.68 and thereby achieved a new historically low value.
Development of the segments
In the Geotechnical Solutions segment, the international presence was further optimized by placing focus on subsidiaries in sustainably stable and promising markets. Successes are already evident here as a result of the reduction in fixed costs, as well as from consistent improvements in risk management. The operative implementation of projects was positive again in 2024, which meant that nearly all regions delivered solid contributions to earnings. Revenues were up on the previous year, mainly due to the execution of a major project in Hungary, while earnings after taxes were burdened by provisions.
The Equipment segment recorded a stable financial year in terms of the operative business with growth in the sales figures in Europe and the Middle East. Business was solid in Germany, while restraint among customers was evident in the USA due to the presidential elections. In contrast, China was once again unsatisfactory as a sales market due to the persistent weakness of the construction market, and restructuring measures burdened the earnings. Overall, the Asian market is proving to be increasingly challenging in part due to growing competition from local manufacturers. The cyber attack in late October 2023 influenced this segment most significantly in the previous year. This resulted in the loss of almost two months of sales and the corresponding earnings contribution in the 2023 figures, which means that the considerable increase in revenue and earnings figures needs to be put into perspective to a certain degree.
The Resources segment recorded an encouraging development once again. Good revenue and earnings performance was achieved in nearly all business divisions. In environmental services, due to the difficult market environment for construction in Germany and the increasingly competitive situation, there was a downturn. Performance was encouraging in the area of mining, which not only delivered a positive contribution to earnings once again, but was able to considerably increase its order backlog even further. This means long-term utilization of capacities in this area of business. The bottom line is that revenues in the segment decreased slightly while earnings after tax increased slightly.
Outlook
Overall, Bauer wants to place a stronger focus on performance and also increasingly highlight innovation and technology. “Over the past years, we have laid all the foundations for being sustainably successful once again. The reinforced balance sheet gives us options for beneficial investments in the future. The economic and political environment in the world has weakened further in the past year, and we are preparing ourselves for this. We are working on reducing costs in all areas in order to remain successful in the coming years even in a difficult market environment. We have laid all the foundations for making 2025 a successful year,” remarks Peter Hingott, Executive Board member of BAUER AG.
How to dispose of waste? This question is not only the subject of discussion on a small scale, but also represents a challenge at the national level – especially when it comes to radioactive waste. The town of Krško in eastern Slovenia is the focus of a major project: the construction of a repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste. The Slovenian Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (ARAO) has tasked a consortium led by Riko d.o.o. of Ljubljana, together with Kolektor CPG of Nova Gorica, CGP of Novo mesto and Kostak d.d. of Krško, to carry out the construction work. Trial operation of the facility is planned in 2028.
The BAUER Cutter Inclination System (CIS)® ensures precise positioning of the diaphragm walls. Photo: Bauer Spezialtiefbau
6,500 m2 of diaphragm wall installed up to depth of 65 m
A key component of the project is the circular diaphragm wall shaft that was constructed by BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH. With a diameter of 32 m, a depth of 65 m and a wall thickness of 1.5 m, the structure extends over an impressive area of 6,500 m². To achieve this challenging task, the specialist foundation engineering experts used a BAUER MC 96 duty-cycle crane with a BC 48 trench cutter and an MC 64 with hydraulic grab DHG/V. Also employed: the BAUER Cutter Inclination System (CIS)® for precise positioning of the diaphragm walls, as well as the Hydraulic Grab Inclination System (HGIS)® for continuous monitoring and control of the hydraulic grab.
Digital tools for sustainability and quality
In order to manage the complexity of this large-scale project, the experienced team used digital tools for process optimization and lean management, key elements of the BAUER Construction Process. Thanks to detailed engineering, control and monitoring of all construction phases, it was possible to maintain optimal use of resources and the highest quality standards. “With our technology and decades of expertise, we are setting standards for geotechnical precision. By using our thoroughly tried-and-tested diaphragm wall equipment on the one hand, and advanced digital systems on the other, we are able to meet even the strictest accuracy requirements while ensuring optimally sustainable design,” explains Project Manager Stefan Neidhart.
Right from the start of diaphragm wall work on October 1, 2024, the crew from Bauer Spezialtiefbau showed full commitment. “Thanks to our dedicated team and state-of-the-art technologies, we have made a crucial contribution to this major project,” explains the project manager. The construction of the diaphragm walls was successfully completed in December 2024.
Looking back on the previous financial years at the BAUER Group, Schrobenhausen/Germany, the figures published by the company at the end of July practically seem to be a decisive turning point: After the conclusion of 2023, BAUER is able to look back on a turbulent but ultimately successful year. Despite the numerous changes and challenges in the company as well as in worldwide politics and the economy, the total Group revenues were increased to 1,831.1 M € and EBIT of 95.2 M € were achieved. The syndicated loan was also extended in advance.
The global environment was shaped by various influencing factors, including Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, attacks by Israel on the Gaza strip, a persisting weak construction sector in China and other Asian countries which have not yet recovered from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our year-end result is particularly notable given the background of a cyber attack on our IT infrastructure in late October 2023,” emphasizes Peter Hingott, Executive Board Member of BAUER AG (Figure 1). “Although this incident led to lost sales in the last two months of the year, the figures achieved demonstrate how solid our operative performance has actually already been.”
The extensive capital increase in 2023, which led to a change in the ownership structure, considerably improved the balance sheet structure of the BAUER Group. Net debt fell back considerably and the ratio of net debt to EBITDA was 1.96. “This is nearly a historically low value and shows that our balance sheet is very healthy once again,” remarks Hingott. On this basis, significant investments are also planned in modernizing and expanding equipment production at the Schrobenhausen location.
In the Geotechnical Solutions segment, Bauer succeeded in making a significant turnaround. This was supported by the optimization of the international position as well as projects running very successfully around the world. As a result, the segment achieved a considerable increase in revenue and positive earnings after tax.
The Equipment segment had a stable financial year in terms of the operative business, especially in the regions of the Americas and Europe. In contrast, China was again unsatisfactory as a market and contributed negative results. The cyber attack in late October 2023 influenced this segment most strongly. This resulted in the loss of almost two months of sales and the corresponding earnings contribution, which is why the expectations could not be fulfilled by the end of the year and both revenue and earnings after tax decreased slightly compared with the previous year.
The Resources segment performed encouragingly in the financial year gone by and achieved considerable positive earnings after tax along with the forecast slight decrease in revenue. Here as well, the restructuring measures carried out in the last year meant that the overall positive operative business was also reflected in the figures. Good revenue and earnings performance was achieved in nearly all business divisions despite a market environment for construction in Germany that continues to be difficult.
With a view to the future, BAUER is planning further improvement of the economic performance and intends to focus intensively once again on innovation and technology. “We have to be committed to being the best in order to hold our own against competitors in the years to come. And we want to be the best partner for our customers. We don’t just sell a product or a service – we sell a solution and help our customers to manage their challenges optimally.” (BAUER/Si.)
By the time the climate-friendly neighborhood in Frankfurt’s Hilgenfeld district is completed, the team from BAUER Resources GmbH with its three drilling rigs will be long gone. It will be almost like they were never even there. “Almost” being the key word. What will remain is an impressive geothermal probe system that was installed on behalf of regional energy supplier Mainova AG. With seven distribution shafts, numerous pipelines and more than 50 m3 of brine, the system is impressive not only because of its scope: this is an exceptional project in many regards.
19,200 m drilled in eight months
Over the course of eight months, the three drilling teams from Bauer Resources completed their work on seven geothermal fields for the installation of the geothermal probe system. More than 19,200 m were drilled and a total of 160 geothermal probes from GWE GmbH were installed up to a depth of 120 m. “The grouting work in later stages took a particularly long time, since considerable extra quantities were consumed in some areas. This required precise coordination between the different parties involved in the project,” explains Site Manager Raphael Werner from BAUER Resources GmbH, adding: “To ensure optimal quality for the backfill material in the boreholes, we used a specially developed, magnetically marked and thermally improved slurry. After completing the drilling work, we inspected the seal with a magnetic probe to ensure that it was executed properly – this is how we achieve optimal groundwater protection.” The excavation work for the pipe trenches began simultaneously with the drilling work. Then it was time for the most arduous task: The experienced team laid more than 10,000 m of pipeline. Finally, the connections were established and the trenches were backfilled with soil. To fulfil the strict quality requirements, all work steps were painstakingly documented, construction materials were carefully monitored and the lines were regularly subjected to pressure tests. “Thanks to precise execution, we were able to move forward rapidly with the project,” continues the Site Manager.
Demanding soil conditions
The project is unusual not only because of its magnitude and the effort involved, but also because of the particular soil: The surface level of the 17.7 ha site is covered with glacial loess loam. This is one of the most valuable soil types in the world. “For this reason, protecting the soil was a top priority. None of the construction vehicles were allowed to drive directly over the grounds. Instead, extra access roads were built and the soil was protected with wood chips and load distribution plates,” explains Raphael Werner. The deeper stone strata also posed multiple challenges: On the one hand, the drilling equipment had to be adjusted frequently because of the varying soil strata. Furthermore, flushing losses occurred unexpectedly. “Not an easy undertaking, but ultimately no problem for us. In some cases we flushed the boreholes differently, in some areas we adapted the casings,” remarks experienced Operations Manager Marcel Mößlang of BAUER Resources GmbH.
Where implementation ends, maintenance begins
Even after finishing the main work, there are some tasks left for Bauer Resources: Until 2029, the experts will take care of maintenance on the geothermal probe system including flushing, filling and fine-tuning. “In Frankfurt we are offering our full range of services, from design and execution to commissioning and even maintenance.” During the next stage, an innovative climate-friendly district will be constructed on the 17.7 ha site, which will serve as a shining example far beyond Frankfurt and Hessen thanks to the sustainable energy concept for heat and power supply furnished by regional energy supplier Mainova AG. This district, constructed by state residential construction company ABG FRANKFURT HOLDING GmbH, will house a total of 54 apartment buildings, 860 residential units as well as commercial spaces. “We will remember this project for a long time, because a geothermal energy system of this magnitude is rare – this is one of the largest of its kind in all of Germany,” says Marcel Mößlang in summary.
The Annual General Meeting of BAUER AG was held on 19th September 2024. Around 250 shareholders, guests and press representatives gathered at the company headquarters in Schrobenhausen. They listened with great interest to the remarks by Executive Board Member Peter Hingott, who first reported on the preceding financial year: “2023 was an eventful, but successful year for us,” he summarized.
Despite the numerous changes and challenges both in the company and in global politics and business, Bauer succeeded in increasing total Group revenues to 1,831.1 M € in 2023 and achieving EBIT of 95.2 M €. In addition, the syndicated loan could be extended ahead of schedule. “Our annual result is particularly remarkable against the backdrop of a cyber attack on our IT infrastructure at the end of October 2023,” emphasized Peter Hingott.
And the positive development has continued so far in the current financial year: “We have made a good start to 2024 and are on schedule after the first half of the year,” says Hingott. “The Group’s order backlog and order intake have once again risen significantly – the growth comes from all three segments, but especially from special foundation engineering. We therefore expect to continue to achieve our targets for the Group and to increase total Group revenues and EBIT.”
However, the Executive Board of BAUER AG also pointed out that the market in Germany had weakened further, as construction investment had declined due to inflation and rising interest rates. “It can be assumed that 2025 will be challenging for us in Germany, and we have been preparing for this for some time. Price and competitive pressure in the Equipment segment is also increasing, as the Chinese construction market, which has been weak for years, is causing local manufacturers to increasingly push into European markets.”
Peter Hingott also provided information about current and planned investments, including in the main plant in Aresing, but also in subsidiaries such as Klemm in Drolshagen.
During the vote, the shareholders then voted on the proposed resolutions on the agenda items, as a result of which, among other things, the conversion of bearer shares to registered shares is now to be completed. The proposal to elect Sebastian Sennebogen and Florian Tucher Freiherr von Simmelsdorf to the Supervisory Board as new members of the shareholder side also met with broad approval. In return, long-standing members Elisabeth Teschemacher and Gerardus N. G. Wirken will leave the Supervisory Board of BAUER AG. “Both have accompanied the company for many years. You deserve our extraordinary thanks for your work and support,” says Peter Hingott.
Schrobenhausen/Germany – A long-established tradition continues: For more than 35 years, BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH has been hosting the “Schrobenhausener Tage” lecture series. In April it was time again. This year’s motto: Focus Construction Site – stay tuned to Geotechnical Solutions. A total of roughly 300 guests attended from Germany and abroad, including participants from Japan who didn’t want to miss the event. They were all treated to a successful blend of fascinating presentations about spectacular construction projects in Germany, challenging international projects and the latest innovations in specialist foundation engineering. But that was far from all: another topic on the agenda was artificial intelligence.
About 300 guests attended this year’s traditional event. Photo: BAUER
Frank Haehnig, CEO of BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, welcomed the guests and then handed over to Florian Bauer, Managing Director of BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH and moderator of the event. “You will see that the latest developments in specialist foundation engineering are very exciting. It’s not just our innovations and methods, but also the use of artificial intelligence that opens up countless opportunities and prospects for our sites,” remarked Florian Bauer.
From Germany… The event kicked off with a lecture block addressing spectacular projects in Germany. Karsten Kegelbein, Site Manager for BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH in Hamburg, started off the series and presented a construction project in Helgoland. Surrounded by one-of-a-kind scenery there, Bauer implemented four different injection methods – far from a typical endeavor. In the next lecture, Susanne Nefzger, Head of Sales Bavaria for the South region, and Daniel Junger, Site Manager for BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, presented a project for flood protection in the Bavarian town of Feldolling. A spectacular project with (almost) everything that specialist foundation engineering has to offer. Excavation pit monitoring during the CEFAM project in Cologne was addressed by Agnes Demharter, Site Manager at BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, and Project Manager Andreas Hertenberger from the domestic business division. The morning’s lecture series was rounded off with an interesting guest presentation on “Monitoring of Geotechnic Works – the basis for sustainable and intelligent Geotechnics” by Prof. Dr. Christian Moormann from the Institute of Geotechnical Engineering at Stuttgart University.
During the lunch break, participants were able as usual to explore the innovations in specialist foundation engineering through an exhibition at the stands for the Technical Services, Design and Digitalization departments. Furthermore, in the exhibition area for the in-house exhibition of BAUER Maschinen GmbH starting several days later, an impressive array of equipment was presented along with ample opportunity to engage in dialog directly with experts in the field.
…to the entire world Refreshed from their lunch break, the guests returned for the second thematic section of the event. This was entirely dedicated to international challenges. The first report was given by Shekhar Battacharjee, Senior Manager Business Development at BAUER Engineering India Private Limited, who discussed a subway project in the Indian metropolis of Chennai. Onur Askin, Technical Engineer at BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, followed by presenting an impressive offshore project off the French Atlantic coast near Saint-Brieuc, as part of which Bauer installed 190 offshore piles for 62 wind turbine sites. Finally, Keith Ryan, Managing Director of BAUER International UAE, addressed the particular challenges involved in a construction project in Dubai for which the barrette foundations were implemented through an existing three-story basement level.
Digitalization and AI The third and last thematic section of the event took a look at the future and digital challenges. Michael Jones, Managing Director of International Business Development at BAUER Technologies Limited, and Joachim Gaus, soil mixing expert in the Major Project Sales department, discussed the complex soil improvement measures that were carried out under water in 2023 working from a pontoon in Sweden. Marcus Daubner, Head of Digitalization, addressed the digital twin and presented specific practical examples. Richard Gutjahr, freelance journalist, moderator and blogger, concluded with interesting insights about the topic “Artificial intelligence – Hype or Change”.
Panel discussion chaired by Florian Bauer (center) with Marcus Daubner, Prof. Dr. Christian Moormann, Richard Gutjahr and Frank Haehnig (from left to right). Photo: BAUER
This was followed by a final panel session with Christian Moormann, Richard Gutjahr, Marcus Daubner and Frank Haehnig in which the opportunities and prospects for artificial intelligence in specialist foundation engineering were thoroughly discussed. “We have a passion for progress and we are open to new ideas,” emphasized Florian Bauer. “In specialist foundation engineering, great opportunities await us through the use of AI, which we are tackling together.”
As usual, the traditional event concluded with lively discussions during a relaxed Bavarian dinner with regional specialties and authentic local music.
BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH is dedicated to more than just foundations. The company has set itself the goal of establishing the sustainable construction site as a standard and making a key contribution to a green future. Just last summer, the company was awarded the DGNB certificate for sustainable construction sites. Now another sustainability milestone has been achieved: On February 23, Florian Pronold, retired Parliamentary State Secretary and Managing Director of the Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V., handed over six environmental product declarations for the Mixed-in- Place method (MIP) to representatives from Bauer Spezialtiefbau, including Managing Director (CEO) Frank Haehnig and Member of the Management Board Florian Bauer. “I am thrilled to present BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH with these environmental product declarations. Not only does this step underscore their commitment to transparent and sustainable specialist foundation engineering, it also sets whole new standards,” remarks Florian Pronold.
Verified environmental product declarations from the Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V. for the Mixed-in-Place construction material classes from BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH. Photo: BAUER
Basis for ecological assessment
Environmental product declarations, known as EPDs, deliver transparent environmental impact data verified by independent experts. This is a verifiable and transparent way to integrate the environmental compatibility of construction products into the assessment of a structure’s sustainability. Starting from the design phase, this extensive information is useful for designers, architects and owners. It allows them to make justified decisions for sustainable construction methods, for example by considering the carbon footprint.
Furthermore, this ensures that environmental compatibility requirements are fulfilled for a structure across its entire lifecycle. The EPDs serve as a basis for the ecological assessment of structures in accordance with DIN EN 15978. These declarations are coordinated at the international level and are based on ISO standard ISO 14025 as well as the European standard EN 15804.
Green milestone
“Our initiative with a total of six EPDs for our Mixed-in-Place method represents a significant milestone in the construction industry,” emphasizes Dr. Hursit Ibuk, Head of Construction Materials Technology and Product Sustainability at Bauer Spezialtiefbau. In the past, no environmental product declarations existed for construction products that were prepared directly on site using raw materials. The EPDs now encompass both the manufacturing process for the MIP material as well as the MIP method itself.
Efficiency meets sustainability
For more than 30 years, the Mixed-in-Place method developed by Bauer has proven successful for implementing retaining structures, foundation measures and flood protection. What makes this method unique: The construction material is produced on site in a sustainable and resource-efficient manner. “Thanks to many years of expertise, our employees’ know-how and continuous ongoing development of the drilling and mixing tools, the Mixed-in-Place method can now be implemented in nearly all soil types,” explains Dr. Hursit Ibuk. With a general type approval from the German Institute of Construction Technology, the MIP method can also be used for particularly challenging construction tasks.
Frank Haehnig, Managing Director (CEO) of Bauer Spezialtiefbau GmbH, proudly summarizes: “The environmental product declarations for our Mixed-in-Place method demonstrate very clearly that sustainability is not just a concept for us: it is our passion.”
On October 16, 2023, the headquarter of BAUER Maschinen GmbH in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria/Germany hosted the kick-off event for a research project with the potential to catapult the carbon footprint of specialist foundation equipment to a whole new level. The goal: climate-neutral operation based on a fuel cell system. The consortium partners are BAUER Maschinen GmbH along with the Professorship for Fluid Systems Technology and the Chair for Fluid Mechanics at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
A machine from Bauer as a basis
Over the next three years, the project partners will work together to develop a concept for operating construction equipment in specialist foundation with zero CO2 emissions. The plan is to integrate a drive system comprising a hydrogen fuel cell, along with all necessary peripheral components (“balance of plant”), into a special foundation machine from BAUER Maschinen GmbH. The fuel cell system along with other required components such as H2 storage unit and cooling unit are designed as a plug-in module for universal use.
Reducing noise emissions
Within the project, operating strategies for fuel cells and backup batteries are evaluated with regard to the technical requirements. Another focus of research is the targeted influencing of noise emissions, which negatively impact both equipment operators and the environment during the operation of construction equipment. With the aid of aeroacoustics simulations and resulting measures to reduce noise, the aim is to significantly reduce emissions compared to conventional, diesel-powered equipment. At the end of the project, the plug-in module will be installed on a Bauer machine and tested in practical application.
Logical further development
The project is funded by a 2.5 million euro grant from the federal government. Source: BMWK
The research project planned for three years, with its official title “Modular drive system with fuel cells for applications in specialist foundation engineering” (MABAS), has received funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic and Climate Action as part of the 7th Energy Research Program, a grant of approximately 2.5 million euros. The project represents another logical step towards the goal of sustainability: Following Bauer’s previous contributions to sustainable construction with the cable-bound eBG 33 and battery-powered eBG 33 H all electric, the use of hydrogen technology in the form of a fuel cell is a logical enhancement. A hydrogen-powered machine can be used anywhere a cable connection is impossible or specific services are required that cannot be provided to the necessary extent using only batteries.
Shahad Al-Zakwani from Bauer Nimr presented the unique project to reduce CO2 emissions. Photo: BAUER
Dubai, UAE – For two weeks, the eyes of the world were on Dubai: December 12th was the final day of “COP28”, the 28th UN climate conference. The focus: Nothing less than the future of our planet, in a year that is likely to be the hottest year ever. Approximately 70,000 people, including politicians, journalists, consultants and climate activists took part in the conference. One of them was Shahad Al-Zakwani. As a representative of BAUER Nimr LLC, the Omani subsidiary of BAUER Resources GmbH, she presented a unique project to reduce CO2 emissions using nature-based solutions.
Harnessing the power of nature
For the past 12 years, BAUER Nimr LLC has been operating the world’s largest commercial reed bed treatment plant system in Oman. With an area of 13.5 km2, it is roughly the size of 1,600 football fields. From 2009 onwards, it has transformed a former desert landscape into a thriving oasis full of life. At that time, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) commissioned Bauer to develop, build and operate a nature-based and sustainable water treatment system.
Natural flow processes instead of energy-intensive pumps
What makes the green water treatment system unique is not only its enormous size and remarkable cleaning capacity, but also the new standards it sets for sustainability. By treating and reusing the produced water in a gravity-flown wetland, it is possible to avoid reinjection of the produced water eliminating the requirement for energy-intensive pumping. The groundbreaking result is the avoidance of more than 225,000 tons of CO2 annually. The emission reduction project is now registered with the Global Carbon Council. Since 2021 it has been generating verified carbon credits that meets the requirements of CORSIA, the aviation industry’s carbon offsetting and reduction scheme. In addition, the project has been Diamond Labelled for its positive ecological and social impact. It will continue to generate carbon credits that can be transacted in the voluntary market until 2030.
Positive effects on biodiversity
Apart from the advantages for the environment, the project also makes a substantial contribution to biodiversity in the region, as different wetland plants are used for the treatment and reuse of the water. Numerous birds and wild animals have resettled in the project area. And in other respects too, the project is a remarkable success: By creating short- and long-term jobs, it will contribute to the economic development of the region for another 20 years.
A Call for Nature-Based Solutions across the Middle East
“Our participation in COP28 highlights our commitment to sustainable solutions,” emphasized Dennis K. Alexandersen, Business Development Director at BAUER Resources Middle East. “The water treatment project in Nimr is an example of our commitment, power of innovation and sense of responsibility towards the environment. We are convinced that nature-based solutions are central to addressing the pressing environmental challenges in the Middle East, both in the oil and gas industry and in the treatment of industrial and domestic wastewater.”
