Blog

While manufacturing sectors are key drivers of economic growth, accounting for 16% of global GDP (Gross World Product), their activities also pose serious environmental risks that must be addressed.

According to the International Energy Agency, global CO2 emissions rose by 6% year-on-year in 2021 – to an all-time high of 36.3 billion tonnes. The World Economic Forum reports that global manufacturing sectors are responsible for a fifth of CO2 emissions, consuming 54% of the world’s energy sources.

Without manufacturing, there would be no economic development, and there would be no jobs. It cannot be dispensed with, so it is all the more important to take measures to make sure it affects the environment as little as possible. A significant role in this regard is played by improving productivity, which not only reduces CO2 emissions, but also optimizes costs.

Measures to ensure production efficiency have been taken by Mitsubishi Electric for many years. The company has included ambitious goals in Environmental Vision 2021, among them is the target to reduce CO2 emissions during production. Mitsubishi Electric targeted 30% less emissions in the production process. So what were the actual results in 2021?

One of the major factors behind this accomplishment is the steady reduction of CO2 emissions originating from energy. This was owing to the introduction of high-efficiency machinery, the switching of fuels, and the progress in thorough waste elimination. Another factor was the acceleration in the reduction of non-CO2 greenhouse gases, owing to the replacement of traditional refrigerant gases with those having lower global warming potential (GWP) and the increase in the amount of refrigerant gases recovered during manufacturing processes overseas.

Towards reducing CO2 originating from energy, the activities of Mitsubishi Electric focus on systematically introducing and updating high-efficiency and energy-saving equipment, improving operations, and extending energy conservation measures to production lines. High-efficiency machinery and energy-saving technology have been introduced. Mitsubishi Electric also pays close attention to reducing utility consumption outside company hours. It is important in improving labor productivity to analyze all processes and thoroughly evaluate them to see which ones can be optimized. A major role in improving production efficiency is to automate business processes and properly manage all production chains. Any way to improve productivity is a step toward reducing CO2 emissions.

Photos: Getty Images