Automotive assembly plants, like most other factories, are typically not very environmentally friendly. They cover millions of square feet and produce hundreds pf thousands of cars annually, which can leave quite a footprint. That's why General Motors is joining RE100 and beginning to take steps to improve the overall sustainability of their manufacturing practices. The automaker says that all of their plants will be run on renewable energy by 2050, a goal that they are already beginning to take small steps towards achieving.
RE100 is a collaborative effort between 69 global companies, pledging to switch entirely to renewable energy. The impressive list of brands includes Google, HP, IKEA and fellow automaker, BMW.
General Motors has already begun to take steps towards sustainability. For example, at their Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant, a large solar array provides electric power used to charge the same Chevy Volts that roll off the assembly line there.
GM predicts that 3.8 percent of the electricity coming out of their plants will come from solar and other renewable resources by the end of this year. By 2020, the automaker expects to be utilizing 125 megawatts of renewable energy. That's equal to about a quarter of the output of a small nuclear plant, and 20 times more than that of a single wind turbine. About 12,000 homes could be run on that same 125 megawatts of energy.
A number of other automakers have also committed to becoming more sustainable. Volkswagen has begun setting up millions of square feet of solar panels at plants, including one in Tennessee, while Ford is building a solar farm next to it's headquarters in Michigan. But neither of these brands have made the same 100 percent commitment that General Motors has.
Along with an increase in their use of solar power, GM is looking to increase their use of wind and landfill gas to provide energy to a production, engineering, and corporate network that currently includes 350 facilities in 59 countries. It will also utilize a battery storage system - possibly constructed from recycled Volt batteries - to store excess energy until it is needed.
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