0
0
Toyota Motor Europe strengthens commitment to environmental sustainability by generating renewable electricity on-site using a wind turbine and solar panel
As part of ongoing activities in Europe to transition its operations to clean renewable energy, Toyota Motor Europe has invested in two new technologies to produce on-site generated electricity at its Brussels headquarters. The company recently installed a wind turbine in front of its buildings, using state-of-the-art technology. Additionally, 1400 solar panels have been placed on the roof of the Toyota After Sales Centre at the same site.
TME is the first company within the Brussels area to mount a privately-owned wind turbine on its premises, and with a total capacity of 10 kW, it can generate up to 24 MWh per year. The wind turbine’s advanced design incorporates vertical wings which allow it to efficiently harness the wind from all directions and has an innovative ‘owl’ finish to reduce noise. And, standing at a height of only 23 m, it avoids any risk of interference with the nearby Zaventem airport’s operations.
Harnessing wind power is only one part of TME plan – the company’s renewable electricity supply is further boosted with the installation of 1400 photovoltaic panels capable of generating a maximum power of 460 kW. It is expected that this solar array will generate 360 MWh per year.
Clean energy has been high on Toyota’s European agenda for several years resulting in 100% renewable electricity for all European operations in 2019. The two new installations in Brussels are in line with the company’s strategy to increase its own renewable electricity production at Toyota facilities, following similar investments at other European sites (TPCE solar panels, TMUK solar panels, TMMF solar wall, Zeebrugge windmill, solar panels at Toyota Logistics Centre Madrid).
Over the last 5 years, TME facilities have undergone a comprehensive renewal programme to improve their energy efficiency, including the installation of LED lighting, A/C renewal and a new building management system. This has resulted in an overall reduction of electricity consumption by 35% from 5 GWh to 3.3 GWh per year and, thanks to the latest initiatives, TME will now be able to generate more than 10% of the yearly electricity consumption on-site.
Average Rating