Skoda Auto utilised solar energy to power a number of Tow Tractors that are used around Mlada Boleslav Car Plant.

• › ŠKODA has fitted electric tow tractors with solar panels at its main plant in Mladá Boleslav
• › The use of solar energy achieves average annual savings of approx. 10 % of mains electricity 
• › A fleet of seventeen Still R 07 electric tow tractors have been deployed by ŠKODA Logistics
• › Over the medium term, ŠKODA aims to use alternative power in a part of its in-plant utility vehicles
• › Zero-emissions logistics vehicles are another stepping stone in ŠKODA´s GreenFuture strategy of extensive environmental measures 

ŠKODA Logistics is intensifying the use of in-plant battery-powered electric vehicles at the carmaker´s main plant in Mladá Boleslav. 

As part of a pilot project, an electric tow tractor with two trailers was fitted with solar panels. The photovoltaic modules charge Li-ion batteries during operation. ŠKODA expects to save approx. 10 % of power on average annually by using solar power in the operation of these vehicles. 

Photovoltaic technology will be applied on a large scale if the trial is successful.

​The solar modules are installed on the roofs of the trailers and charge the traction batteries of the tow tractor, which lowers the frequency at which the battery must be replaced at charging stations. 

A solar-powered tractor consumes approx. 10 % less mains electricity and also has extended endurance between charging cycles. The solar panels typically charge the batteries of the vehicle to full capacity over the weekend. 

The battery-powered electric tow trucks cover a distance of almost 70 kilometres every day in the Mladá Boleslav plant. For every day of operation, it is possible to measure the length of each charging cycle, the amount of energy supplied by mains electricity, and the share provided by the solar panels. 

This data is continuously stored and will be processed as part of the Green Logistics semester course at the ŠKODA AUTO University.

Along with the electric tow tractor fitted with additional solar panels, there are fifteen other battery-powered electric tractors deployed in logistics at the Mladá Boleslav plant. 

These rigs operate purely on battery power supplied by charging stations where the battery packs are replaced. 

As part of its environmental strategy, ŠKODA aims to use alternative power sources to operate a part of its in-plant logistics vehicle fleet. The carmaker´s vision for the near future is that most suppliers (in the vicinity of the ŠKODA plant) will deliver components to the main plant with utility vehicles using alternative power.

The electric drive offensive for logistics vehicles is another stepping stone in the environmental activities of  ŠKODA AUTO. These are defined by the carmaker´s GreenFuture strategy and target various areas.

The GreenProduct section focuses on making ŠKODA cars environmentally acceptable at every stage of their whole life cycle – from research and development up to environmentally friendly recycling. 

The fundamental focus lies with low emission vehicles. The brand currently offers 107 vehicle variants with CO₂ emissions of less than 120 g/km, of which 37 models achieve values below 100 g of CO₂/km.

In line with the GreenFactory principle, ŠKODA is implementing numerous measures to maximise resource conservation in production.

In the period of 2010 to 2015, ŠKODA was able to lower its environmental impact by 35.8 % thanks to a decrease in energy and water consumption, waste, CO₂ emissions, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). 

Even more ambitious environmental targets have been set in order to accelerate this positive trend. According to these objectives, ŠKODA will reduce the impact of its production on the environment by 45 % by 2018 compared to 2010, i.e. it will decrease this value by almost one-half. 

The fulfilment of the GreenFuture strategy will also be based on environmentally optimised logistics processes, including electrically powered in-plant transport. 

MINI's plant oxford goes green with over 11,500 solar panels.

More than 11,500 panels are helping to harness renewable energy to power Oxford’s MINI Plant.

At more than 20,000 square metres, the plant’s new bodyshop now boasts one of the largest, roof-mounted solar farms to be installed in the UK.

The photovoltaic system is fully commissioned and has a generating capacity over 3 MW comprising over 11,500 solar panels and covers an area equivalent to five football pitches. The installation will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 850 households.

Frank Bachmann, managing director of MINI Plant Oxford, said: “We are delighted that our new solar farm is now up and running and already producing green energy for Plant Oxford.

“It is fitting that the first of these panels have gone onto our new bodyshop as the building has been designed with environmental performance at its heart.”

The plant’s bodyshop, which contains 1,000 robots, was opened at the end of last year to build the new MINI hatchback.

The building already has an impressive list of environmental credentials including 3,869 individually programmable LED lights, a special energy-saving “rest mode” for the robots, a water harvesting system to supply the toilets and so-called heat wheels in the building’s roof control the recirculation and admission of fresh air to reduce the amount of heating and cooling required.

The launch of the solar farm also coincides with Oxford’s first ever ‘Low Carbon Oxford Week’. Plant Oxford was one of the first signatories of the Low Carbon Oxford Charter, which kick started a programme of activities aimed at reducing the city’s carbon footprint by 30 percent by 2020.

Dr Barbara Hammond, Chair of Low Carbon Oxford and Chief Executive of the Low Carbon Hub, said: “I am pleased that MINI Plant Oxford has undertaken such a large solar project here in Oxford. We hope to see other businesses, big and small, install solar PV projects, such as those we are developing with local businesses at the Low Carbon Hub.”

JLR reveals UK's biggest solar panel array, and will provide more than 30% of the plants power.

Jaguar Land Rover has completed the installation of the UK’s largest rooftop solar panel array at its new state-of-the art Engine Manufacturing Centre at i54 South Staffordshire. The new facility has been designed with sustainability embedded throughout and has recently been awarded BREEAM’s ‘Excellent’ rating for the design stage of the assessment for sustainable buildings.

More than 21,000 photovoltaic panels, with a capacity of 5.8MW, have been fixed to the roof of the Engine Manufacturing Centre, with plans to increase this to over 6.3MW by the end of the year. It is estimated that the system will generate more than 30% of the Engine Manufacturing Centre’s energy requirements. This is the equivalent to the energy needed to power more than 1,600 homes. The photovoltaic panels will reduce the plant’s CO₂ footprint by over 2,400 tonnes per year.Trevor Leeks, the Engine Manufacturing Centre’s Operations Director, said, “Our world-class facility showcases the latest sustainable technologies and innovations. The completion of the UK’s largest rooftop solar panel installation here at the Engine Manufacturing Centre is just one example of this.

 

“As the first manufacturer to win the ‘Responsible Business of the Year’ last year, environmental innovation lies at the heart of Jaguar Land Rover’s business.”

Based at the heart of the UK, the state-of-the-art Engine Manufacturing Centre is the first new plant that Jaguar Land Rover has built from the ground up. The site represents an investment of more than £500 million and will create almost 1400 new jobs by the time the plant reaches full capacity.

The world-class plant will manufacture the first family of premium, advanced technology engines, Ingenium, to be entirely designed and built in-house by Jaguar Land Rover for exclusive use in the company’s future vehicles. The Jaguar XE, debuting in 2015, will be the first vehicle equipped with these four-cylinder engines. 

Jaguar Land Rover’s Engine Manufacturing Centre uses cutting-edge heating and lighting systems designed to minimise energy demand through the use of insulated cladding, to maximise daylight through the roof design and to harness natural ventilation through the use of automatic louvers.

Extensive energy monitoring facilities in the plant continually analyse the amount of energy being used and identify opportunities to reduce that energy consumption, for both electricity and natural gas.

Outside of the building, Jaguar Land Rover plans to create an ecological corridor across the bottom of its site. The corridor will be designed to encourage the natural movement of species from one side of the site to the other.

In addition, there are plans to install features such as boxes, habitat piles, dead wood stumps and insect houses to encourage small mammals, invertebrates, amphibians, bats and birds to the site.

Jaguar Land Rover won Business in the Community’s ‘Responsible Business of the Year 2013’ for placing environmental innovation at the heart of its business strategy, embedding sustainability at every stage of the product development process and all levels of the business. This week Jaguar Land Rover is celebrating ‘Responsible Business Week’ as part of Business in the Community’s national week-long campaign dedicated to sustainable business.