Yamaha Motor aims for carbon neutrality at its factories by 2035

Yamaha has revised its carbon neutrality plans, announcing that it has a goal for its factories to be carbon neutral by 2035.

It represents a 15-year jump on the firm’s original target that was announced as part of Yamaha Motor Group’s Environmental Plan 2050 back in July 2021. In order to achieve this goal, the firm has said that it will ‘push incentives centred on minimising its energy use’, while also ‘relying on cleaner energy’.

Yamaha predicts that by implementing these changes by 2035, there will be a 92 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions – compared with 2010’s levels – from domestic and international Yamaha factories. The remaining CO2 emissions will then be offset by ‘internationally recognised methods’ to achieve full carbon neutrality.

The firm ‘meticulously’ implements automatic shutdowns for its factory equipment with the aim of zero standby times and fixed energy consumption. In addition, it will install new equipment ‘of minimal size with minimal energy requirements’ that can still produce on the scale required by Yamaha.

In its home Japan, Yamaha will also be switching to zero-carbon hydroelectric power for all facilities and worksites under its HQ’s jurisdiction by July 2022. It will then switch to carbon-free power at other domestic and international group sites, with the aim of a complete switch to carbon-free electricity by 2030.

Plus, solar panels will continue to be installed at sites to help generate green energy, while electric versions of industrial furnaces will be implemented to help move away from fossil fuels.