Switched to substantial renewable energy for all electricity used at the Copper Foil Division production site in Japan
- Directed at becoming carbon neutral, contribute to reducing CO2 throughout the value chain -
- Started using substantial renewable energy from April at the Imaichi East Plant, the Copper Foil Division’s production site
- Expect to reduce CO2 emissions (Scope 2) from electricity use at the plant by a maximum of 30,000 tons per year
- Furukawa Electric has manufactured electrolytic copper foil by recycling used copper power cable. With the new substantial renewable energy use, it is possible to realize electrolytic copper foil with extremely low environmental impact.
Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (Head office: 2-6-4 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Keiichi Kobayashi) concluded an agreement for the Green Basic Plan(note 1) of TEPCO Energy Partner, Incorporated targeting the Copper Foil Division’s Imaichi East Plant (Nikko-shi, Tochigi) starting from April of this year. Imaichi East plant has already installed the solar power generation facility, and this agreement, it is possible to reduce CO2 emissions (Scope 2,(note 2)) from electricity use by a maximum of 30,000 tons per year.
Background
In 2021, Furukawa Electric Group announced the Furukawa Electric Group Environmental Vision 2050 that sets forth the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the value chain as contribution to realizing a carbon free society. To date, Furukawa Electric has worked as a group to promote the use of renewable energy, including hydroelectric and solar power, in Japan an overseas, and solar power has already been installed at the Copper Foil Division.
The Copper Foil Division manufactures high performance electrolytic copper foil for the current collectors in lithium ion batteries installed in electric vehicles and for the printed circuit boards incorporated in mobile devices such as mobile phones and telecommunications devices such as servers and routers. Electrolytic copper foil is manufactured using electrolysis to facilitate the deposition of copper, and the process consumes a huge amount of electricity. Including in relation to the batteries and circuit materials used in electric vehicles, momentum is increasing toward reducing greenhouse gases from the product raw materials through to disposal of the product. As for purchased electricity, the current switch to substantial renewable energy will greatly reduce CO2 emissions when manufacturing electrolytic copper foil.
Details
Furukawa Electric has manufactured electrolytic copper foil by recycling used copper power cable, and through using the substantial renewable energy, it is possible to realize electrolytic copper foil with extremely low environmental impact. During the life cycle assessment that quantifies the environmental impact throughout the entire product life cycle, the use of substantial renewable energy will contribute to reducing total CO2 emissions from procurement of the product raw materials to disposal or recycling.
Going forward, Furukawa Electric will accelerate the initiatives directed at becoming carbon neutral by reducing CO2 emissions throughout the value chain, and will connect these efforts to value propositions to customers.
(note 1)Green Basic Plan: For average total electric power consumption, supply RE100 compliant substantial renewable energy through a combination of FIT Non-fossil Certificates (with tracking) and Non-FIT Non-fossil Certificates designated for renewable energy (with power source attribute information). The agreement was concluded for FY2022 (April 2022 through March 2023), and Furukawa electric will consider renewing this agreement on an ongoing basis.
(note 2)Scope 2: Indirect emissions associated with the use of electricity, heat, etc. purchased by the company
Furukawa Electric Group’s efforts towards the SDGs
Based on the “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” adopted by the United Nations, Furukawa Electric Group has formulated the “Furukawa Electric Group Vision 2030” which sets the year 2030 as its target and is advancing efforts with the aim to “Build a sustainable world and make people’s life safe, peaceful and rewarding, Furukawa Electric Group will create solutions for the new generation of global infrastructure combining information, energy and mobility.” Toward the achievement of our Vision 2030, we will take open, agile, and innovative approaches to promote ESG management that aims to increase corporate value over the medium to long term and will contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.
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