Manufacturing Plants Going Green

Environmentally focused manufacturing plants are increasing in the motor industry. Companies are investing to give their factories green credentials to complement their products, reducing emissions and using more eco-friendly materials and processes.

Ford’s Dagenham diesel engine plant has wind turbines.  The wind turbines generate energy that save 6,500 tonnes of CO2 a year from entering the atmosphere. In addition, other ecological processes at Dagenham stop more than 12,600 tonnes of waste annually being sent to landfill sites.

Nissan’s factory in Sunderland will soon have eight wind turbines.  They will generate 6 per cent of the plant’s energy requirement, cutting CO2 emissions by 4,000 tonnes a year at power stations supplying the factory with electricity.  Nissan’s wind farm, unlike most is enclosed within an industrial area on low lying ground to minimise environmental impact.

Honda is setting targets for its Swindon plant include achieving zero waste to landfill sites by 2010.  The figure has already been cut from 60kg per car to less than 7kg. Honda is also testing a wind turbine to assess the feasibility of generating up to 10 per cent of its energy needs.

www.ford.co.uk