Zero CO2 Monozukuri
Basic Stance
To address global warming due to climate change in the field of manufacturing, DENSO (1) promotes technological development in production processes; (2) ensures thorough employee participation in energy conservation, from departments that supply energy to those that use it; and (3) utilizes renewable energy. By working proactively to reduce CO2 in these ways, we aim to halve our energy use by fiscal 2026 (halving CO2 emissions per unit compared with fiscal 2013), while promoting energy conservation activities with a view to achieving carbon neutrality by fiscal 2036.
Progress on Meeting CO2 Emissions Targets
Throughout the Company, in fiscal 2024 we made 2,730 energy-saving improvements. As a result, we achieved our “energy half” target of reducing CO2 emissions per unit (non-consolidated basis) by half compared with fiscal 2013 three years ahead of schedule. Due to aggressive energy-saving activities, CO2 emissions of Group companies declined 54%, to 46, compared with the fiscal 2013 level, thereby clearing the global target of Eco Vision 2025 .
CO2 emissions per unit (Scope 1 and 2) (Global, DENSO Group)
Detailed Data on CO2 Emissions
Environmental Performance Data: Action 2 (Zero CO2 Monozukuri)
Specific Initiatives
(1) Companywide Activities for Carbon-Neutral Monozukuri
Road Map for Carbon-Neutral Monozukuri
The DENSO Global Initiative for Monozukuri Carbon Neutrality is focusing its efforts on the three key themes of promoting energy conservation, verifying energy creation, and procuring renewable energy. With regard to promoting energy conservation, we will continue to carry out straightforward energy-saving activities while forging ahead with the development of energy-saving technologies. Through these measures, we strive to realize even more drastic changes in materials and processes and promote their widespread use throughout the DENSO Group, with a view to achieving complete carbon neutrality in the future.
Road Map
Promotion of Energy Conservation: Thorough Implementation of Energy-Saving Activities at Plants
At DENSO, we are giving the utmost priority toward energy conservation efforts with a view toward achieving carbon neutrality. These efforts are being made under a two-pronged approach of production technology development and frontline improvements through the participation of all employees. It is often said that energy conservation efforts at plants have reached their limit. But, at DENSO, we promote ongoing energy-saving activities based on a clear future vision and well-defined targets. This approach allows us to foster an improvement-oriented mindset that focuses on using successful developmental and other improvements as a motivation for pursuing further improvements.
As part of these efforts, we have implemented a system in which we charge business divisions directly for their energy use and are promoting Just-in-Time (JIT) energy activities where we supply energy only when required in the amount required.
Moreover, with the purpose of promoting capital investments in energy conservation, we introduced an internal carbon pricing scheme in 2021 and have begun utilizing this scheme in investment decision-making. In addition to thoroughly implementing energy-saving measures, we are expanding our solar and other on-site power generation facilities, actively working to replace electricity derived from fossil fuels with that generated from renewable energy sources.
(2) Ensuring Thorough Employee Participation in Energy Conservation, from Departments That Supply Energy to Those That Use It
Energy Just-in-Time (JIT) Activities
Based on the idea that “energy for production is not fixed infrastructure but another component to be controlled,” DENSO is working to establish a system for the utilization and supply of just the right amount of energy at the necessary time through energy JIT activities.
In fiscal 2010, emissions per unit worsened as a result of the plunge in production we experienced due to the global financial crisis. To address this situation, we have worked to create an energy-saving manufacturing structure that is resilient in the face of variations in production. We now include energy conservation as a basic tenet of our facility design and production activities.
From 2020 to 2022, emissions per unit temporarily worsened due to the decline in production brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the semiconductor shortage. However, by the end of fiscal 2023, emissions per unit improved 22% compared with fiscal 2020 before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as a result of strengthening such measures as comprehensive JIT inspections of energy supply divisions and the consolidation and stoppage of idle production lines as well as implementing thorough, organization-wide energy-saving activities that covered everything from energy supply to use. In fiscal 2024, amid the restart of production activities, we promoted Companywide energy-saving initiatives, including streamlining and consolidating production processes and implementing energy loss reduction measures through data analysis employing an environmental management system (EMS), resulting in a 14% improvement in emissions per unit compared with fiscal 2023.
TOPIC : DENSO Wins Prizes at the Energy Conservation Grand Prize Awards, for a Run of 14 Consecutive Years
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At the Energy Conservation Grand Prize Awards in fiscal 2024, DENSO received the Energy Conservation Center Chairman’s Award in the Energy Conservation Best Practices Category. The Company received this award in recognition of its win-win energy conservation activities, which aim to achieve both energy conservation and improvements in factory environments.
Sponsored by the Energy Conservation Center, Japan, the Energy Conservation Grand Prize Awards recognize the outstanding conservation efforts of companies and governments as well as advanced energy conservation products created through technological developments. DENSO has won awards at the Energy Conservation Grand Prize Awards for 14 consecutive years since 2009 and has won a total of 15 awards. -
(3) Realizing Carbon Neutral Plants
With a view to achieving carbon neutrality in its manufacturing activities, DENSO is systematically introducing measures such as purchasing electricity and gas derived from renewable energy sources, installing solar panels and other private power generation equipment, and utilizing voluntary carbon credits. The Company considers progress made toward achieving targets and economic rationality when implementing such measures.
Further, we achieved carbon neutrality at the Anjo, Nishio, and Hirose plants, DENSO FUKUSHIMA CORPORATION, and all DENSO plants in Europe by fiscal 2023. Moreover, carbon neutrality was achieved by fiscal 2024 at the Takatana, Daian, Kota, Zenmyo, and Kosai plants.
Systematically Introducing Solar Power and Other On-Site Power Generation Facilities
We have formulated Companywide guidelines outlining our basic approach to energy generation and renewable energy procurement. Based on these guidelines and global standards, we make decisions on the adoption of solar power generation (company investment and on-site PPA*) and seek to introduce such facilities in a systematic manner.
* Power purchase agreement. Under a PPA, a third party owns the power generation facility and supplies power to end users.
TOPIC: Development of New Technologies for Energy Utilization
Amid the recent acceleration of the global shift toward decarbonization, we are working to establish technologies for capturing, recycling, storing, and reusing CO2.
For example, we have commenced verification tests for SOFCs,*1 which create electricity from hydrogen, and SOECs,*2 which produce hydrogen from electricity, by utilizing the heat management and material technologies that we have cultivated in the automotive field. Through these kinds of verification tests, we will pursue the efficiency of fully utilizing green hydrogen energy and the durability of being able to safely use energy systems over long periods of time. By doing so, we will take on the challenges of development aimed at balancing environmental sustainability and economic viability.*3
*1 SOEC: Solid oxide electrolysis cell
*2 SOFC: Solid oxide fuel cell
*3 This initiative is being supported by the Development of Technologies for Realizing a Hydrogen Society project, sponsored by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
(4) Reducing CO2 Emissions within Logistics Activities
DENSO strives to reduce CO2 from logistics through distribution improvements.
In Japan, we consign distribution operations to DENSO Logitem Corporation, a subsidiary, and work together to promote CO2 emissions reduction at specified shippers in efforts to fulfill our social responsibility. Specifically, we are cooperating with a focus on a composite program that includes the following measures:
Improving loading ratios
Using optimized routes to save energy during transport
Shortening transport routes to suppliers through production area transfers
Increasing efficiency of logistics between factories/intermediary warehouses
Fiscal year | 2013 (base year) |
・・・ | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thousand t-CO2 | 34.4 | 34.3 | 41.8 | 43.2 | 40.4 | 45.5 | 50.4 | 47.5 |
Amount of CO2 emissions in logistics / Physical production and sales (Unit: 100 million yen) [DENSO CORPORATION]
We are striving to reduce logistics CO2 emissions through logistics improvements such as increasing loading ratios and reducing transportation distances to delivery destinations.
Asmo Corporation was integrated into Denso Corporation (April 2018).
Note: In fiscal 2023, we enhanced the accuracy of this data by visualizing results for transportation, which were not previously reflected as they were not covered by DENSO CORPORATION’s standardized management system, and reflecting these results in the data accordingly.