We aim to reduce our absolute carbon emissions by 50% by 2020. This will be done by a combination of activities:
1. Save energy
o Minimise the use of energy by improving processes and efficiency
o Install CHP/co-generation to optimise total energy requirements
2. Switch to more environmentally-friendly energy forms
o Switch to low or zero carbon fuels
o Purchase electricity on renewable energy tariffs
o Install “renewable energy” generation on-site (solar, wind, bio fuel)
3. Offset by incentivising Saving and Switching by others
o Purchase “carbon offsets” or buy (and retire) “carbon credits” for any remaining carbon emissions. Offsetting will be used as an option of last resort.
We have developed a global energy roadmap, outlining measures to deliver our target and an estimate of the percentage of the target we will achieve on a yearly basis. We are currently developing regional roadmaps within the same framework.
To support the rollout of our energy reduction strategy and ensure transfer of knowledge across our global business, we have developed a toolkit for carbon and energy reduction. This toolkit has been shared with colleagues within the Supply Chain function through workshops in the first half of 2008.
Solar Panels for External Lighting in Thailand
Some examples of energy actions are given below:
- In 2007, we changed all the electricity we use in Ireland to power provided by wind turbines, reducing the carbon emissions for the Irish business by almost 40%.
- In 2008, we launched the largest roof top solar installation in New South Wales, Australia, in our Huntingwood factory. The system is made up of a total of 640 solar panels manufactured locally at BP Solar's facility in Sydney Olympic Park. It is capable of producing enough energy to power 21 homes while saving 140 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions or the equivalent to taking 35 cars off the road.
- Some of our electricity was already supplied from renewable energy sources – such as the hydro-power that supplies our sites in Tasmania and Ghana, solar heating in Karachi (Pakistan) and renewable power in Yonge Street (Canada). At our Induri site in India we use bagasse from the local sugar industry to fuel the boilers on site while in Bauru in Brazil we use the heat of the sun to generate hot water for use in the kitchens and amenities block. Many of our sites have small scale solar electric panels providing power for external equipment such as lights and pumps, for example our Bournville UK facility uses solar power to drive effluent sampling equipment.
- Cadbury has also invested in new technologies where appropriate, such as combined heat and power (CHP) plants in Rockford (US) and Nagoya (Japan). We are currently working on projects to install CHP at a number of our larger sites in the UK, Europe and Africa including a CHP plant powered by biogas in Poland.
- Our new office buildings in Cadbury House, Uxbridge and Bournville in the UK as well as Rolle in Switzerland – together home to almost 1000 employees – have energy considerations built into their design e.g. workstations in Uxbridge are designed and constructed in line with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) principles and contain 80% recycled materials; and all lights at Cadbury House – work floors, store rooms, meeting rooms and offices are activated by motion sensors.
- Cadbury’s Australian business is working with the guidance of the Australian Federal Government’s Energy Efficiency Opportunities Regulations to assist in managing its energy use. The regulations will assist Cadbury in meeting its Global target of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2020. Read Cadbury's Australian Energy Efficiency Opportunities public report
here.