Hitachi Energy has achieved the first-step target set out in its Sustainability 2030 plan - the use of 100 per cent fossil-free electricity in its own operations. The company is driving towards being carbon-neutral in its own operations by 20302, in line with its Purpose, ‘Advancing a sustainable energy future for all'.  

"By achieving 100 per cent fossil-free electricity in our own operations, we have reduced our CO2 equivalent emissions by over 50 per cent compared to 2019," says Claudio Facchin, CEO of Hitachi Energy. 

The targeted 50 per cent reduction achieved ahead of the plan will amount to approximately 175 kilotonnes of CO2e per year, equivalent to removing over 35,000 passenger cars off the road.  

To achieve 100 per cent fossil-free electricity in its own operations - and in support of the Hitachi Group's carbon-neutrality goal3 - the company has pursued a number of pathways including supporting projects to generate its own fossil-free electricity, such as installing solar roof panels combined with e-meshTM digital solutions for distributed energy resources maximizing energy efficiency and minimizing CO2 emissions.

In its Zhongshan factory in China, the company is generating nearly 20 per cent of its total energy consumption from solar panels. In its first year of operation, the power generated at the factory is expected to reach 1,510-megawatt hours (MWh), contributing to the reduction in annual carbon emissions by more than 1,000 tonnes. 

Hitachi Energy has also switched to green tariffs, bought Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs), and signed Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) across its operations and facilities in 90 countries.  

Looking ahead, Hitachi Energy is continuing to invest in its journey towards carbon-neutrality by further increasing energy efficiency, as well as electrifying its own operations. In Ludvika, Sweden, the company is now using 100 per cent renewable electricity generated from hydropower and from solar panels to support its operations.