With the first lignite-fired power station with optimised plant engineering in Bergheim-Niederaußem, RWE has the most modern lignite-fired power station in the world. This technology extracts energy from lignite with more than 43 % efficiency, saving up to 3 million tonnes of CO2 every year. It also uses domestic fuel around 30 % more efficiently than old systems. Furthermore, at the start of 2006, construction work began for the 2,200 megawatt double-unit power station of the new lignite-fired power station with optimised plant engineering at the Neurath site.

RWE takes its social responsibility very seriously and considers social commitment, particularly in its core region, to be of particular importance. RWE is committed to supporting disadvantaged young people: With the RWE Youth Foundation, the Group supports a total of 27 projects across Germany in 2006. The “I can do it!” (“Ich pack´das!“) project provides young people who are not qualified to become apprentices the opportunity to obtain qualifications to allow them to enter the apprenticeship market. Other social projects include support for the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation Germany, giving elementary school children from socially disadvantaged areas the opportunity to get involved in art and music projects. RWE’s “Power and Life Museum” (“Strom und Leben“) was recently honoured with an award from the German federal initiative “Germany – Land of Ideas” (“Deutschland – Land der Ideen”).

RWE is among the world‘s leading companies when it comes to sustainable corporate management and business activities. In 2006, RWE was ranked “industry leader” in the new market category “Multi Utilities” in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. RWE has been the only German utility company to be represented in the index since the ranking was introduced in 1999.