3M Climate Change & Energy Management

3M Climate Change & Energy Management

Recognition
In 2009, 3M received the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award for Energy Management from the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy in recognition of continuous improvement in energy management. 2009 marked the sixth year in a row that 3M has been recognized by ENERGY STAR — a record for an industrial company.

Reducing Greenhouse Gases
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions have been a long time priority for 3M. Although the science of global climate change is evolving, 3M has taken and continues to take voluntary, responsible action to reduce GHG emissions. 3M reduces its global greenhouse gas emissions (including both the basket of greenhouse gases outlined in the Kyoto protocol and other greenhouse gases not included in the protocol) through manufacturing process improvements, energy conservation and additional pollution control equipment.

Setting Goals to Drive Progress
Rigorous greenhouse gas accounting systems and reduction goals are key components of 3M’s greenhouse gas management strategy. 3M develops an annual inventory of its greenhouse gas emissions worldwide using the World Resource Institute/World Business Council for Sustainable Development GHG Protocol. See Sustainability In-Depth: 3M’s GHG Inventory Development (PDF, 51KB) for more information on the inventory.

Global Goal - In 2002, 3M set a goal to reduce our worldwide GHG emissions by 50% (from a 1990 base year). 3M achieved this goal in 2006 and continues to drive additional reductions. In 2008, 3M reduced global GHG emissions by 69% from its 1990 base year.

United States Goal - 3M is partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency through their Climate Leaders program to reduce our U.S. GHG emissions by 30 percent by 2007 (from a 2002 base year). At the end of 2007, 3M had exceeded this goal by reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from 2002.

3M's energy efficiency efforts date back to 1973, when the 3M Energy Management Department was formed. Improvements result from employee programs that increase energy efficiency of existing operations, new equipment and facilities designed to be energy efficient, and the development of new, more energy efficient 3M products and processes. Using Life Cycle Management, new product development teams work to improve the energy efficiency of 3M products. They consider energy efficiency in their choices of raw materials, product formulations and manufacturing processes.

To drive continuous improvement in energy management, the company has set a goal to improve energy efficiency by 20% from 2005 - 2010. This goal is on top of previous energy efficiency efforts which have achieved 80 percent improvement in energy efficiency at 3M's U.S. operations since 1973 and 43 percent improvement in energy efficiency at 3M's operations worldwide since 1998.

During 2008, 3M implemented 212 energy projects which saved over $9.7 million. 3M has realized $37 million of energy savings from its 2005 base year by implementing more than 1,400 employee-inspired projects. We continue to adopt new methods to improve energy-efficiency, including the use of Six Sigma methodology and increasing our use of alternative, renewable energy.

Source: www.3m.com