General Motors is constantly making improvements to its facilities to reduce the impact the facilities have on the environment. From developing electric cars to reducing emissions to recycling waste from manufacturing facilities, GM is more environmentally-conscious than ever before. Another significant step in this direction is the construction of a solar array––a large group of connected photovoltaic cells (solar panels)––at the GM Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan, which will produce enough energy to power 45 homes.
The Orion Assembly Plant, in Lake Orion, is the home of the Buick Verano and the Chevrolet Sonic. The energy produced by the 350-kilowatt array, which will be built in a field next to the plant and owned by the area electric utility, DTE Energy, will be sent back to the grid for local homes and area businesses to use. The total energy saved will be equal to preventing 261 metric tons of carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere.
“Last year, we committed to doubling our global solar output at our facilities from 30 megawatts to 60 by 2015,” stated GM Vice President of Sustainability and Global Regulatory Affairs Mike Robinson,. “We believe in harnessing energy from clean, renewable sources because there a solid business case to be made and it’s good for the environment. This array reinforces our progress.”
The solar array is part ofa DTE Energy pilot program called SolarCurrents™. The goal is to install photovoltaic systems on customer property or rooftops during the next three years with hopes of generating 15 megawatts of electricity throughout southeastern Michigan. DTE Energy will construct the solar array on two acres of south-facing land to maximize output, providing power to local businesses and homes.
This addition to the Orion plant is the most recent in a series of environmentally-related efforts. Other examples include:
- Gas from two nearby landfills powers the facility, saving $1.1 million annually and reducing the amount of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide released into the air. This prevents more than 6,300 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
- Upgrades to lighting in the facility have cut carbon dioxide emissions by 5,003 metric tons and have saved $575,895. New software allows employees to track energy use in real-time and use the information to improve efficiency.
- A new eco paint process eliminates the need for a primer oven and is heated by landfill gas. The new process cuts energy use per vehicle in half compared to the previous process, and it gives the plant the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 80,000 tons at a full three-shift capacity – the equivalent of eliminating the emissions of 14,000 vehicles a year.
By utilizing innovative technology that contributes to more environmentally-friendly facilities, GM is helping to make the world a better place for its customers. To see what else GM is doing for the environment, visit www.gm.com/vision/environment1.html.
