Mazda has announced that it is aiming for its factories to become carbon neutral by 2035 as the company looks to ensure its entire supply and delivery chain becomes carbon neutral by 2050.
Mazda says momentum for its plan will come in a three-phased attack, targeting a shift to renewable energy as the primary source of powering its production lines, an emphasis on energy conservation and finally, the introduction of carbon-neutral fuels within Mazda itself.
The first step of the journey, according to Mazda, comes in the form of accelerating the shift toward renewable energy for both its factories and the local communities nearby.
Considering just how densely-populated Japan can be, any investment Mazda makes in the realm of renewable energy would likely benefit tens, if not hundreds of thousands of local residents.
The second step towards carbon neutrality for Mazda is a focus on energy conservation within its factories which, the company admits, “emit large amounts of CO2”.
Mazda says that reducing its thermal energy outputs with low-temperature curing paints and new production methods could have a huge impact on its energy conservation goals.
Finally, Mazda is set to explore a range of carbon-neutral fuels to power its machinery and in-house transportation methods that would help it achieve a carbon neutral production line by 2035, while aiming to make its entire supply chain carbon neutral by 2050.
The latter is a much more complicated affair for Mazda, requiring close communication and even tougher restrictions on just how raw materials are sourced and transported within the supply chain, all the way through to the factory and post-production.