Automaker Jaguar Land Rover cut its normalized energy use from manufacturing by 23 percent year-on-year, according to the company's latest sustainability report.
In financial year 2010/11 the company used 4.13 MWh to manufacture each vehicle compared to 3.18 in FY 2011/12. Over that time period the company's absolute energy use increased 3.9 percent, from 984,016 MWh to 1,022,418 MWh in FY, according to the report, which covers the financial year from April 2011 to March 2012.
The company is investing £9 million ($13.6 million) in efficiency measures at existing sites from 2009 to March 2013, focusing on areas where it thinks it can achieve the most significant reductions.
Jaguar Land Rover's normalized carbon emissions from manufacturing dropped just over 21 percent year-on-year, from 1.15 metric tons of CO2 per vehicle in FY 2010/11 to 0.93 in FY 2011/12. Over that time period absolute emissions increased 7.7 percent, from 274,825 to 297,739 metric tons of CO2.
The company has a target of a 25 percent reduction in its normalized operational CO2 emissions by March 2013 over 2007 levels. To date the company has reduced this metric by 15 percent.
JLR's previous reports showed progress using calendar years. Environmental goals and target dates have been restated from calendar year 2012 to FY 2012/13. This means the company's existing 2012 environmental targets now end in March 2013.
The company reduced its average fleet CO2 emissions by 14 percent since 2007, putting it on track to meet its target of a 25 percent reduction target by 2015. Year-on-year the company reduced this metric by around 7.5 percent, from 223 grams of CO2 per kilometer in calendar year 2010 to 206 in 2011, the report says. Tailpipe emissions from the new Range Rover Evoque can be as low as 129 of CO2 per kilometer, the report says.
Jaguar Land Rover is investing in a program to offset emissions from manufacturing, supporting more than 50 sustainable development projects in 17 countries. JLR aims to invest in projects that reduce CO2 emissions and also deliver additional social benefits, such as better health and improved local infrastructure.
The company has invested in 17.5 MW of wind projects spread over 18 sites across India. This project has reduced emissions by 72,103 metric tons, the report says. In China, a waste gas recovery project cut emissions by 372,140 metric tons of CO2, according to the report.
Jaguar Land Rover has cut its water use per vehicle metric by over 15 percent year-on-year, from 3.71 cubic meters per unit of production in FY 2010/11 to 3.14 in FY 2011/12.
The company's paint shops are a key focus for its water reduction efforts, as this is where much of its water use occurs. At its Castle Bromwich, England, facility, for example, Jaguar Land Rover is exploring ways to recycle water in its manufacturing processes, after the water has been used in the paint shop. A pilot scheme demonstrated that this could save an estimated 37,000 cubic meters of water per year at Castle Bromwich alone – around 15 percent of total water use in that paint shop, the report says.
JLR has cut its waste production per vehicle by just over 1 percent year-on-year, from 48.06 kg per vehicle in FY 2010/11 to 47.55 in FY 2011/12.
Waste initiatives installed by the company include investing £235,000 to introduce a "closed loop" recycling system at the company's Solihull, England, press shop, which ensures that any scrap metal from manufacturing, such as aluminium and steel, is collected, segregated and sent back to suppliers for recycling. A similar system is already in place at Castle Bromwich.
The company is also working with waste management contractors to collect and sort waste from the Castle Bromwich site for recycling. This has reduced waste sent to landfill from the site by 70 percent, from 40 to 13 metric tons per month, the report says.
Jaguar Land Rover achieved a "platinum ranking" - a score of 95 percent or above - in UK nonprofit Business in the Community's Corporate Responsibility Index 2012, in March last year.
