Water resource is vital to various industries. The three main water consumption sources in Taiwan are agricultural, domestic, and industrial water use. Due to COVID-19, global demand for technological products grew substantially, leading to the significant increase of water use for Taiwan's semiconductor and circuit board manufacturing industries. At the beginning of 2021, western Taiwan suffered from the worst drought in centuries, causing severe lack of water resources in science parks located in both central and southern Taiwan.
Water Management at CPC Plants
CPC has implemented water conservation and recycling practices at all of its plants, such as the efficient use of cooling water, boiler water, water for firefighting, and water for manufacturing as well as water reuse and recycling. In particular, Linyuan Petrochemical Plant was awarded with the Outstanding Water-Saving Unit by the Water Resources Agency, Ministry of Economic Affairs for its ability to save approximately 7,400 metric tons of water per day through its wastewater recycling system. On the other hand, three of CPC's refinery plants have actively increased the recycled water ratio to fight against drought altogether. As of April 2021, each drop of water has been used and reused for 8.92 times in average.
Water Conservation at CPC Offices
CPC installed Green-Building-affiliated stormwater recycling systems at its office buildings and business divisions, including gas stations. Meanwhile, CPC actively cooperates with government’s projects on building water reclamation plants, which based on evaluation, can reduce the impact of drought on all CPC’s plants before the drought occurs.
In 2021, Taiwan faces its worst drought in the century. CPC undertakes the drought relief mission and serves as the national drought relief team by offering its unique expertise in petroleum exploration via sending an engineering team that had been drilling oil and gas wells in Taiwan and abroad for years. Thus, CPC becomes the emergency response team that drills for groundwater sources for Taiwan.
Stationed in Houli, Taichung City, CPC's professional drilling engineering team has been tasked to search for new water resources in central Taiwan with oil- and gas-well drilling equipment. The team’s goal is to drill 1 to 3 wells with the depth of 350 meters each. The first well was drilled before the end of May, which was expected to supply 15,000 tons of water per day to Taichung City (i.e. serve as a water source for nearly 60,000 people).
According to hydrological data from the Central Geological Survey, Ministry of Economic Affairs, groundwater well locations were chosen in Liyutan Water Supply Plant. Because the drilling mission was seen as national emergency, CPC staffs had been racing against time to drill wells day and night. At first, the geological factors of gravel layers cause damage on the drilling rigs. However, team members immediately conducted relevant repairment and resumed the work because compared to the original drilling work during oil exploration, groundwater well drilling was the sudden yet glorious mission for the team. Team members even moved their base without hesitation to Taichung, while covering the passageway of the office building as the temporary command center. They worked, had their meals, and rested all at the center under extreme summer heat. The silhouettes of the drilling team members wearing yellow safety helmets and yellow uniforms resembled the yellow minions in a famous animated movie. The CPC staffs all strive to make their contributions for the country by providing abundant water sources to ameliorate the drought in Taiwan.
“Drilling work goes on day and night without stopping. In the beginning, 70 workers have worked in shifts on site. If adding logistics staffs who assist the delivery of goods and equipment, 100+ workers have assigned to this drought relief mission. We have spent 24 hours for preparatory work, which usually takes only 80 hours under normal circumstances. Therefore, this has been an extremely difficult and challenging mission.”
- Chin-Li Su, leader of the drilling engineering team
Conference of Parties 25 (COP 25) hosted by United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015 passed the Paris Agreement, which was signed by 171 countries to curb the trend of global warming together. The common goal is to limit the temperature increase of global warming within 1.5°C or 2°C by the end of the century. Thereby, countries stand together to mitigate the impact of climate change. Nations around the world have enacted regulations to set net zero targets, while corporations have also set short and long term carbon reduction targets to mitigate climate-related impacts. Initiatives and guidelines related to carbon emissions reduction, such as the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and CDP have emerged. Year 2020 is the 30th anniversary of liquefied natural gas (LNG) importation in Taiwan. CPC has taken an important step to collaborate with Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (Shell) in response to climate change by importing carbon-neutral LNG. This initiative demonstrated CPC’s active engagements in carbon reduction. Such importation not only shows CPC’s focus on carbon emission issues, but also demonstrates CPC’s connections with leading international energy companies as well as collaborations with stakeholders in the value chain. CPC constantly promotes sustainable business, while co-creating a low-carbon and eco-friendly home with stakeholders.
Note：Royal Dutch Shell Plc. was established in 1890. It is now the second largest energy and petrochemical company in the world, which ranked 5th among the 2019 Fortune Global 500 list.
In March 2020, CPC imported the first shipment of carbon-neutral LNG from Royal Dutch Shell, setting sail from Sakhalin Island, Russia. The shipment reached Taiwan one week later, and unloaded at Yongan LNG Receiving Terminal in Kaohsiung City. Thus, it became the first carbon-neutral LNG shipment unloaded in Taiwan. CPC imported the second shipment from Nigeria in November, 2020. Carbon-neutral LNG earned its name from the purchased carbon credits of afforestation projects, which offset the total carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) produced by the imported LNG from gas production to customer. Specifically, the carbon credits were earned from international forest conservation projects in Indonesia, Peru, and Ghana. These projects were supported by the United Nations' Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Program (REDD+). Carbon credits are given based on reduction quotas through long-term afforestation and forest restoration processes in exchange for international funds to support the sustainable development of conservation projects. Each carbon credit is certified by a third-party independent institution and offset under the supervision of such institution.
The life cycle of LNG can be divided into five main stages, namely gas production, liquefaction, shipping and distribution, regasification, and selling to customer. Carbon emissions are produced at each stage. In 2020, CPC imported two shipments of carbon-neutral LNG. Each ton of imported LNG produces approximately 3.4 to 3.7 tons of carbon emissions throughout its life cycle. However, about 410,000 tons of carbon emissions (equivalent to the amount of annual carbon uptake of 1,098 Da'an Parks) are offset by the carbon credits.
Carbon-neutral LNG uses carbon credits to offset carbon emissions. Hence, there is no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. One carbon credit represents the offset of 1 metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). Carbon credits are obtained through ecological restoration, afforestation, and any other related projects under various international forest conservation projects. Aforementioned projects should have been certified by Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) to offset greenhouse gas emissions.
The Cordillera
Azul National Park Project, Peru
The Ghana Forest Restoration Project
The Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project,Indonesia
With long-term engagement of charitable activities, CPC has witnessed numerous challenges that people with disabilities encounter when they try to fit into our society. Thus, CPC has successfully initiated the concept of "Kindness Gas Station" since 2001, providing physically- and mentally challenged people (known as the slow-flying angels, hereafter abbreviated as angels) with employment opportunities. CPC assists the angels with professional skills development, offering guidance and training for angels to perform services at the kindness gas stations. CPC hopes to not only enable angels to support themselves via employment, but also to help angels find self-esteem and self-confidence as well as to co-create warmth and hope to our society!
Slightly-slow Services, Same Quality
Great Working Skills stem from Attentive Minds
In 2001, CPC launched the first "Kindness Gas Station" in collaboration with Siwei Road Gas Station in Kaohsiung. Thereafter, CPC gradually expanded the slow-flying angel business model. A "Kindness Gas Station" is defined as the gas station that employs over five people with disabilities. In 2020, a total of 577 part-time employees hired at CPC gas stations were slow-flying angels, accounting for 32.1% of the 1,798 employees that year. Currently, there are 48 "Kindness Gas Stations" throughout Taiwan.
Through the "mentorship" program at CPC, the slow-flying angels are carefully guided by their one-on-one mentors at gas stations to perform standard operating procedures of pumping fuel and car wash services. Mentors would patiently remind angels for each step whenever the angels miss any steps, while keep encouraging the angels to concentrate and learn attentively with such hands-on experience. As a result, the angels have undergone transformation from being shy and inarticulate to being capable of providing services independently. Such efforts and improvement deserve a medal of honor!
Toufen Kindness Gas Station – A Base that nurtures Angels
One brush after another, the slow-flying angels painted art that touches people’s hearts with their pure innocence. CPC set up a Cup & Go Coffee Shop in collaboration with the A-Bao Education Foundation at Yuanshan Gas Station in Yilan County. Because the original coffee cup design was plain and dull, angels from the foundation took the opportunity to decorate the cups with paintings that were printed as stickers by CPC. The paper coffee cups are presented as cobranded with designs created by the slow-flying angels! Furthermore, to enhance employability of people with disabilities, Yuanshan Gas Station trained one slow-flying angel to become a barista at the Cup & Go coffee shop, thereby proving slow-flying angels can soar high into the sky with patience and support. In addition, with any one cup of coffee sold in 2020, NT$3 would be donated to the A-Bao Education Foundation. Both the foundation and CPC plan to expand this business model to ensure that the hard work of each slow-flying angel can warm people's hearts like a cup of coffee.
CPC has been committed to provide slow-flying angels with guidance and support. Impressed by angels’ hard work, CPC hopes to expand this collaboration model to other stations and expects other companies can echo CPC's efforts in this respect so that more angels can successfully build their own careers. Moreover, CPC also aims to establish platforms for people in the community to share their warm hearts at every "Kindness Gas Station," "Kindness Car Wash Station," and "Cup & Go Coffee Shop." With the slogan, “Love at CPC provides unhindered services," CPC encourages all sectors to join this great initiative to promote social inclusion together!