Energy Saving in Factories

Last Update: Sep 13, 2011

Reducing CO₂ Emissions
Reducing the emissions of
greenhouse gases other than CO₂

Maximizing the size of contribution in reducing CO₂ emissions

In our last round of CO₂ targets, we achieved 0.84 million tons in CO₂ emissions reductions in our production activities by fiscal 2010, far exceeding our target of 0.3 million tons from fiscal 2007. By pursuing continuous improvement of our energy management capabilities and lowering our CO₂ emissions per basic unit, we aimed to maximize our contribution in reducing CO₂ emissions in production activities in fiscal 2011.

As a result , we increased the size of contribution in reducing CO₂ emissions through production activities in fiscal 2011 to 2.11 million tons.

We will continue to make progress toward achieving our targets of the size of contribution in reducing CO₂ emissions through production activities, which are 2 million tons in fiscal 2012 and 1.7 million tons in fiscal 2013.

Size of contribution in reducing CO2 emissions (by region)

Global CO2 emissions and the improvement rates of CO2 emissions per basic unit

*1 Calculated with the weighted average of the improvement rate for CO₂ emissions per basic unit of nominal production for each factory. The amount of CO₂ emitted from each factory was used for weighting cases that had no improvements.
*2 The factors related to fuels are based on the Guidelines for Calculation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (version 2.2) published by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. The CO₂ emission factor for electricity purchased in Japan (kg CO₂/kWh) is fixed at 0.410. If the factors set for each fiscal year are used instead (0.425 for fiscal 2006, 0.453 for fiscal 2008, 0.373 for fiscal 2009, and 0.351 for fiscal 2010 and 2011), total CO₂ emissions will be 4.63 million tons for fiscal 2006, 4.90 million tons for fiscal 2008, 4.08 million tons for fiscal 2009, 3.70 million tons for fiscal 2010, and 3.75 million tons for fiscal 2011. The factors above are also used for electricity purchased from power producers and suppliers (PPS). The GHG Protocol factors for each country are used for electricity purchased outside Japan.

CO2 emissions and CO2 emissions intensity (Japan)

Note: Methodology for calculating CO₂ emissions
· The factors of fuels are based on the Guidelines for Calculating Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Ver. 2.2) by the Ministry of the Environment (Japan)
· The CO₂ emissions factor (kg-CO₂ /kWh) for electricity purchased in Japan are fixed at 0.410. If the factors set for each fiscal year are used instead (0.417 for fiscal 1991, 0.425 for fiscal 2006, 0.453 for fiscal 2008, 0.373 for fiscal 2009, and 0.351 for fiscal 2010 and 2011), the improvement rate for CO₂ emissions per basic unit of actual production (compared with fiscal 1991 level) will be 39% for fiscal 2009, 44% for fiscal 2010, and 45% for fiscal 2011.
* CO₂ emissions per basic unit = CO₂ emissions/(Production value /Bank of Japan´s corporate goods price index [electrical machinery and equipment])

Amount of Renewable energy used (Global)

Fiscal 2011	2,190,000 kWh

Promotion of CO₂ ITAKONA^*3 initiative

To ensure the reduction of CO₂ emissions at our factories, it is important to track the energy consumption of each factory and the effects of specific emissions reduction measures to visualize reduction effects. To date, we have introduced more than 40,000 measurement systems and Factory Energy Management Systems (FEMS) at all of our global manufacturing sites, and we have continued to promote our CO₂ METAGEJI^*4 initiative.

From fiscal 2011, we promoted our CO₂ ITAKONA initiative to further identify energy waste and develop ideas for reduction through the best use of METAGEJI. Through our CO₂ ITAKONA initiative, we will be able to use the data and results visualized through METAGEJI to troubleshoot and classify our consumed energy according to its factor and implement measurable reduction activities more efficiently.

In addition, we have set up regular seminars to expand our ITAKONA initiative. Also, we document the procedures of our CO₂ ITAKONA initiative and use this information to develop factories within our Group.

*3 ITAKONA refers to a process by which we review stages prior to production to study raw materials to ensure waste is minimized and quality is maintained. We apply a similar review process for our CO₂ emissions reduction efforts and call these our CO₂ ITAKONA initiatives.
*4 METAGEJI is a term unique to Panasonic which refers to visualizing energy consumption and implementing measurable reduction initiatives by introducing measurement instruments, such as meters and gauges.

Promotion of Top Runner Factories for saving and creating energy

To further promote energy conservation and reduce CO₂ emissions across our company, since fiscal 2011 we have selected Top Runner Factories in each of our domain companies to provide a model for other factories in the domain to follow. Top Runner Factories make investments in energy conservation and create three-year implementation plans that are used to raise the environmental performance of all companies within the domain. This plan provides guidance in six areas: (1) Introducing top-level production process innovations, (2) Maintaining and managing highly efficient manufacturing equipment, (3) Pursuing the top-level rate of CO₂ emissions reduction per basic unit, (4) Implementing system for energy consumption visualization, (5) Promoting factory-wide CO₂ emissions reduction efforts in production processes, (6) Introducing our solar energy system. Selected Top Runner Factories are required to have outstanding and specialized features in energy conservation. Through this initiative, Top Runner Factories achieve the highest level of energy saving in the domain company, as well as develop No. 1 energy-saving technologies for their specialized area. Such cases of advanced factories are rolled out across relating factories worldwide by Top Runner Factories.

In fiscal 2011, our Top Runner Factory in our Home Appliance Company provided a production process innovation and reduced the amount of CO₂ emissions by 57% by using a firing method to change the thermal insulation molding process and taking advantage of hot air to shorten the process.

Identifying necessary measures through energy conservation diagnoses

We have been promoting energy conservation diagnoses undertaken by internal experts since fiscal 2008. At our business domain companies, managers and skilled engineers who have expertise in manufacturing processes collaborate together to resolve problems to reduce CO₂ emissions. Further, we have an expert team to provide technical support to our factories and conduct diagnosis activities to search for themes that can be applied group-wide.

In fiscal 2011, a total of 340 energy conservation proposals (to reduce CO₂ emissions by 34,000 tons) were made and implemented at 13 factories, focusing on “conserving energy without great expense.”

As an example of measures to conserve energy without great expense, factories can prevent the leakages of compressed air.^*5 At factories, compressors are operated to send air across the facilities, for which large amounts of energy are used. Panasonic conducts surveys on leakages of air and implements measures to operate the compressors more efficiently and reduce their electricity usage.

*5 Compressed air used to operate factory machines.

Energy conservation diagnosis

Sharing CO₂ reduction examples and training experts

In September 2008, we created a keyword search system on the intranet with a database of CO₂ reduction examples called the BA Chart.^*6 A total of 1,100 examples are registered in the database (as of March 2011) and we are now promoting its use across the company.

In China, we annually select excellent energy conservation cases from the activities conducted at our factories in the country and award the factories after onsite examinations. For this fiscal year, 107 applications were filed for the competition, implying that the energy conservation levels are also being increasingly raised outside Japan.

For the promotion of energy conservation initiatives, it is critical to train engineers versed in energy-saving technologies. Accordingly, Panasonic has held 27 training seminars on CO₂ reduction since fiscal 2008, developing a total of 618 experts. In fiscal 2011, we also began holding a competition on practical onsite energy conservation diagnosis abilities, in order to promote the development of human resources who have both theoretical and practical knowledge for onsite energy-saving activities.