Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced that it will adopt 100% renewable energy at its Goodyear plants in Europe and Turkey in the first of a multi-phase plan to acquire 100% renewable energy at all its facilities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa by the end of 2022. The decision, taken in conjunction with the company’s development of its long-term climate strategy, will allow Goodyear to reduce operational impacts and is aligned with its goal of reducing carbon intensity by 25% by 2023 compared to 2010. The company has already achieved an intensity reduction of 19% in 2020 as reported in its latest Corporate Responsibility Report.
By purchasing around 700,000 megawatt-hours of renewable electricity, Goodyear can ensure that its manufacturing plants in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Turkey and the Netherlands run on sustainably sourced electricity. This change will reduce the company’s carbon footprint by up to 260,000 tons. Goodyear will increase the use of renewable energy sources such as biomass hydroelectric, wind, solar or geothermal power to achieve this critical change.
To ensure that electricity is produced from renewable energy sources, Goodyear purchases GoOs (Guarantee of Origin), which provides information to electricity customers about the source of their energy. “Switching to 100% renewable electricity at these production facilities fits perfectly with our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint,” he said. Chris Delaney, President of Goodyear EMEA. France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Turkey and the Netherlands will be included in the first phase. Other locations such as South Africa and Cooper Tire’s plants in Serbia and the UK will be reviewed in a second phase.
“In addition,” Delaney added, “this decision shows that we are taking serious steps to continually reduce Goodyear’s environmental impacts, which is vitally important to ensuring a better future for all.” This is one of several actions Goodyear is taking to ensure that it contributes to reducing carbon emissions. Earlier this year, the company announced the construction of the first large-scale solar installation in Luxembourg, which is now operational.
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