Ford Runs Assembly Plants on Clean Energy
Photo Source: Ford
What does a genuine effort toward sustainable automotive manufacturing look like? As decarbonization efforts were extended, automotive production realized that genuine sustainability efforts demand a holistic approach. For automotive manufacturers, this means that the carbon footprint caused by finished vehicles is only a small fraction of the equation. The energy output formed during production is crucial to the entire decarbonization formula.
To clarify, what can an automaker profit if it creates green vehicles utilizing coal-black processes? The automotive industry is now increasingly turning to renewable energy sources such as electricity, wind, and solar to underpin its operations, as the automotive sector transitions toward carbon neutrality and sustainability. However, for reference, to what extent this can be accomplished in the face of several economic and geopolitical pressures remains undecided.
Ford Depends on Unique Energy Source: The Sun
Solar energy is at the forefront of the renewable energy portfolio of multiple brands due to its relative ease of integration, scalability, and measurable effects on carbon emissions. By definition, solar energy necessarily depends on the sun. For example, Ford’s renewable production operations serve as a prime example of this trend, with the carmaker’s Cologne Electric Vehicle Center in Germany having run entirely on renewable energy since 2008. In Cologne, solar installations power all the plant’s renewable energy needs and are all sourced from the local provider, RheinEnergie.
Moreover, Ford’s initiatives in China and South Africa work to diminish reliance on conventional energy sources by lessening emissions through substantial solar installations. Ford’s Hangzhou Plant in China has been equipped with a solar energy-powered system since 2019–a system which currently supplies approximately 25 percent of the plant’s total power needs. Additionally, in South Africa, the Blue Oval’s Silverton Assembly plant receives 35 percent of its electricity needs from solar panels.
Keeping Sustainable Energy in Line with Production Results
The question of whether renewable energy sources supporting production goals should be included from the outset or implemented mid-operation is a significant one. After all, the point is to lower the carbon footprint of production outputs without upsetting operations, which potentially come with their own carbon cost. Nonetheless, installations continue on the carmaker’s front. The Ford Daventry facility–home to Ford Britain’s Parts Distribution Center and the Henry Ford Academy dealer training facility–received a new solar panel array this year (2024) that is a massive step in the mission to enable it to run on renewable energy only.
A recent press release from the automaker also indicates that with the new array, the site is capable of producing between 15 to 20 percent of its power from the sun, a significant figure by any measure. The source adds, “This also marks the completion of a three-stage solar power program by Ford Britain, including the Dunton Campus and Halewood sites, all of which support the automaker’s EV supply chain.”
If you find Ford’s go-green facilities intriguing, please come visit NYE Ford, where we are also excited about the evolution of electric vehicles. Do not forget we have a trained service team that can help with an online appointment to get started on all maintenance work and repairs. After all, we know what it takes to provide a worthwhile experience.
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