Toyota PHL eyes carbon neutrality for Santa Rosa plant by 2035
CAR MANUFACTURER Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP) is aiming to make its Santa Rosa production plant in Laguna carbon-neutral by 2035.
TMP said in a statement on Wednesday that it has accelerated its plant carbon neutrality target by 15 years from the originally planned 2050, aligning with the new aim of the global Toyota group to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in all of its manufacturing plants.
“For TMP, I am confident to say that plant carbon neutrality by 2035 is possible. We have 13 years left before our deadline, and we are working continuously to achieve 100% renewable energy (RE) by also exploring offsite power sources,” TMP President Atsuhiro Okamoto said.
As part of the initiative, the local car manufacturer on Wednesday inaugurated a 1.46-megawatt (MW) solar facility worth P94 million to power its Santa Rosa manufacturing plant and head office. With this, the company boosted its minimum RE ratio to 18%.
“With as much as 2 million kilowatt-hours of derivable clean energy per year, TMP’s onsite RE will contribute to 7-10% of the total energy requirement for manufacturing and non-manufacturing operations,” TMP said.
“As a result, the company will reduce its emissions by as much as 1,400 tons of CO2 per year, equivalent to 2.9 million trees planted over 20 years,” it added.
In 2021, TMP created a plant carbon neutrality (PCN) road map that sets clear targets under the two pillars of RE utilization and energy efficiency, after Toyota Motor Corp. in Japan pulled forward its zero CO2 emissions goal under the Toyota Environmental Challenge (TEC) 2050.
“These pillars anchor how TMP will achieve its PCN target by using 100% RE from onsite and offsite power sources, applying smart technologies and operational efficiencies in manufacturing, as well as using modern machineries that lean on alternative fuel or energy sources,” TMP said.
TMP began its RE investment in 2018 with the first phase installation of 1-MW TMP solar array, which seeks to achieve the commitments to TEC 2050, particularly the “Challenge 3: Plant Zero CO2 emissions.” It was a registered joint crediting mechanism (JCM) model project, which received a subsidy from the Japanese government.
“The JCM, a program that funds the diffusion of low carbon infrastructure in developing countries, provided the agreement to use the carbon credits in Japan’s emission reduction target,” TMP said.
The second phase is the addition of a 0.46-MW capacity, which began in March 2022. Manila Electric Co. subsidiary MSpectrum, Inc. installed 3,486 panels for the full rooftop solar power system on TMP’s main building in Santa Rosa City.
“Through TEC 2050, TMP also aims at reducing indirect emissions that occur in its value chain. TMP implements process improvement activities in logistics operations — from the transportation of parts to the delivery of vehicles to the dealerships,” the company said.
“To date, there are eight suppliers and 26 Toyota dealers that have also invested in RE facilities or entered into RE purchase agreements. Moreover, TMP has the widest lineup of hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) models which provide eco-friendly mobility options to customers,” it added. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
