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28. February 2021From now on, all German Jungheinrich locations, including the six German plants of the company, will be operated exclusively with green electricity. The conversion of foreign subsidiaries and plants to green electricity will follow. At the same time, Jungheinrich has begun to generate its own solar power and is gradually equipping its locations with photovoltaic systems. This will reduce CO2 emissions by around 15,500 tons in Germany alone.
(Hamburg) In its corporate strategy presented in November last year, Jungheinrich has placed sustainability at the center of its business activities and set ambitious goals. Achieving climate neutrality is one of these goals. With the recent switch to green electricity for all locations in Germany, the company is making a significant step in this direction. “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and Jungheinrich aims to take a leading role in the fight against global warming. The transition to renewable energy sources for electricity supply is an important contribution to greater sustainability,” says Dr. Lars Brzoska, CEO of Jungheinrich.
Equipping with photovoltaic systems
In the next step, the conversion of foreign Jungheinrich locations to green electricity is planned. At the same time, the company has begun to equip its locations with photovoltaic systems to generate its own green electricity in the future. Since mid-February, Jungheinrich has been operating its first system on the roof of its plant in Moosburg, Bavaria. The corporate headquarters in Hamburg-Wandsbek will be equipped with solar panels later this year. Projects at many other locations are currently in planning and will follow.
In the 2019 fiscal year, Jungheinrich plants and subsidiaries in Germany consumed approximately 45,600,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. By completely avoiding electricity from fossil energy sources such as lignite, hard coal, or natural gas, the company is now reducing its emissions for electricity consumption in Germany to zero.
Reduction of the global footprint
Compared to the conventional electricity mix, Jungheinrich saves around 15,500 tons of CO2 annually. A compensation area the size of more than 1,800 football fields of mixed forest would be needed to offset this amount of CO2 emitted within a year. About 69% of Jungheinrich’s CO2 emissions caused by electricity consumption came from Germany. By switching nationwide to renewable energy sources, the company significantly reduces its global ecological footprint.
The product life cycle assessment of the vehicles manufactured by Jungheinrich also improves with the transition of production to green electricity. About 11 percent of the energy consumed by a Jungheinrich electric forklift over its life cycle is used during manufacturing. “For us, responsibility for our products does not begin in the factory, but many steps earlier. As part of the 2025+ strategy, we are intensifying our efforts to make Jungheinrich’s supply chains more sustainable. This also includes energy procurement. In this way, we create sustainable value for our customers, our employees, our shareholders and business partners, but also for society as a whole,” explains Dr. Brzoska.
In December 2020, Jungheinrich joined the international campaign “50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders,” an initiative of international corporations from various industries that take a pioneering role in climate protection and achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Photo: © Jungheinrich
