Continental Phases Out Coal and Heavy Fuel Oil as Energy Sources in Tire Production Worldwide

“For us, coal and heavy fuel oil are a thing of the past. The future increasingly lies in renewable energies,” says Dr. Bernhard Trilken, head of Manufacturing and Logistics at Continental Tires. “By relying on a smart mix of energy sources – increasingly renewable and ideally generated directly on site – we are making our manufacturing more independent and therefore more resilient.”

Until the early 2020s, seven of Continental’s 19 production facilities worldwide relied on coal and heavy fuel oil to generate steam. This approach ensured constant thermal output and high operational reliability even in regions with limited gas or electricity infrastructure. Today, all Continental tire plants draw on a diversified mix of alternative energy sources, enabled by systematic and long-term investments.

In tire manufacturing, a significant share of energy is required for heating processes such as vulcanization, which gives rubber its elastic properties. While this step has long used steam produced directly from fossil-based energy sources, new advanced electric technologies make the process far more flexible and more energy efficient. 

In addition, since 2020 Continental has purchased electricity exclusively from renewable sources and is continuing to expand its own renewable energy generation. The company reduced the greenhouse gas intensity of its production by more than ten percent in 2025 compared to the previous year and by around 70 percent compared to 2019. Especially by switching to lower‑emission energy sources, Continental has cut around 180,000 metric tons of CO₂ from tire production over the past four years.

Today, Continental uses a combination of different energy sources to reduce overall CO₂ emissions from tire production, including biomass, biogas, electricity from renewable sources, and alternative fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas. “We have significantly reduced our production-related CO₂ emissions, thanks to continuous investments in electrification and changing the energy sources used for heat generation at our plants worldwide,” explains Henning Mühlenstedt, head of Future Technologies and Sustainable Infrastructure at Continental Tires.

The energy mix at Continental’s global production sites varies widely, shaped by regional infrastructure, available resources, and local energy markets. Yet one common thread runs through all locations: the company’s clear commitment to phasing out coal and transitioning to energy sources with lower CO₂ intensity. At the plant in Gqeberha, South Africa, for example, coal had long been part of the site’s steam generation. Today, the plant has switched to biomass, with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) covering the remaining energy demand. The tire plant in Kalutara, Sri Lanka has undergone a similarly transformative journey. With the commissioning of a second biomass boiler last year, the site successfully eliminated the use of heavy oil and now generates all of its steam exclusively from renewable biomass. At its Otrokovice site in the Czech Republic, Continental worked closely with its regional energy supplier to align steam generation with the company’s climate targets. As part of this collaboration, the local power plant gradually shifted its fuel mix from coal to biomass and natural gas. As a result, Continental’s tire plant in Otrokovice can now be supplied with steam generated predominantly from biomass. This switch will also have a positive impact on the surrounding communities, which will now receive district heat from a more environmentally friendly mix. 

Transitioning to alternative energy sources is a key part of Continental’s sustainability efforts. The company continuously works to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy sources in its production processes further. Switching steam generation to alternative energy sources across all production sites is a concrete step – a commitment that is also recognized externally by the independent organization CDP, which awarded Continental an A- rating in 2025 for its climate transparency and CO₂‑reduction measures.