A step in the right direction, Volvo's oldest car plant is now climate neutral

In its mission to have a climate-neutral global manufacturing network, Volvo Cars announced that its Torslanda site in Sweden is its first manufacturing plant to have such a status.

For Volvo Car to consider a plant as climate-neutral, it must not exhibit a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions caused by the plant's heat and electricity consumption.

Torslanda has been operating by means of climate neutral electricity since 2008. The sources for the plant’s heating come from biogas and industrial waste heat. The plant also continuously decreases energy usage and had successfully saved almost 7,000 megawatt-hour (MWh) in 2020, which is the energy usage of over 450 Swedish family homes.

As part of Volvo’s desire to even more greatly reduce energy usage in manufacturing cars, it plans to further upgrade the plant's lighting and heating system which should cause an outcome of annual energy savings of about 20,000 MWh by 2023.

According to Geert Bruyneel, head of global production operations said the greatest challenge in making Torslanda climate neutral was convincing the people that they were taking the correct step.

Volvo Cars’ objective of creating a climate neutral manufacturing is by far the the most ambitious in the industry. "No, this is the right thing to do for the company and for our future." Bruyneel remarked.

Further, Volvo Cars wishes to electrify its entire line-up which is its ultimate goal in its quest for a climate neutral manufacturing. With this aim in mind, carbon emissions produced during operations also need to be addressed, as well as its supply chain, and through the recycling and reusing of materials.

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