SMMT News

Sun shines on Toyota: solar set to power 10% of production

22 August 2014 #SMMT News

Toyota Deeside solar panel array, renewable energy

Toyota’s engine manufacturing facility in Deeside, North Wales has switched on 13,000 solar panels, generating enough renewable energy to power the production of 22,500 engines.

The solar array, which shares a similar footprint to eight football pitches, can produce up to 3,475,000kWh electricity a year, providing 10% of the energy required at the site.

By using solar as a renewable energy source, Toyota aims to save more than 1,800 tonnes of CO2 a year at the site – the weight of approximately 1,260 Toyota Auris hatchbacks.

Jim Crosbie, Toyota’s Deeside Plant Director, said, “The significant investment we have made in the new solar array marks a major advance for Deeside and Toyota Manufacturing UK in our mission to minimise the environmental impact of our operations, cutting carbon emissions and powering our production in a way that’s cleaner and more environmentally efficient.

“It demonstrates that while Toyota is famous for building lower carbon vehicles, we are just as focused on developing greener production methods and nurturing awareness of environmental issues among our members, and our local communities. The solar array won’t just reduce our carbon footprint, it will demonstrate to the wider Welsh and UK manufacturing sector the tangible benefits renewable energy can deliver.”

In the last 15 years, the UK automotive industry has reduced its annual CO2 output by more than 20%, equating to 372,000 tonnes of CO2 – the weight of 31,000 double decker buses. In the same time, the CO2 emitted for each car produced in the UK has fallen by 41.5%.

See SMMT’s 2014 Sustainability Report for more information on the UK automotive industry’s drive to reduce production emissions with renewable energy.

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