Bosch Group on target for 20% emissions cut by 2020
Bosch Rexroth has made a major contribution to its carbon emission reduction plan with a significant emissions cut at its Glenrothes site in Scotland.
The reduction has been made as part of Bosch UK’s drive for a 20% reduction to its 2007 emission levels across its UK sites by 2020.
The Glenrothes site has deployed a combined heat and power (CHP) system to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions at the plant by 30%.
The site manufactures hydraulic motors for forklift trucks, mini excavators and other mobile plant equipment. Previously the Glenrothes facility used large gas-fired heaters and boilers to heat the shop floor, which were between 20 and 25 years old. Today, the plant uses three 140 kilowatt CHP units supplied from within the Bosch Group, with four of the most powerful Worcester Bosch 100 kilowatt Greenstar boilers installed as a backup system for maintenance periods.
Hot water is stored in three 10,000-litre buffer tanks that can hold it at 90 degrees centigrade. The entire CHP system is monitored and controlled via a PC-based building management programme, which can be adjusted as necessary from around the site. The result of the new CHP system has been a reduction in CO2 emissions from the plant of 30%, already exceeding Bosch’s 2020 target.
Peter Fouquet, president of Bosch UK said: “As a global business, Bosch is committed to reducing waste and emissions from its operations around the world, using advanced technology as the cornerstone of our energy efficiency strategy. I am delighted that some of the most significant efforts are being made here in the UK, reducing CO2 output and improving air quality, as well as conserving the environment and resources by recycling and reusing material wherever possible.
“The example being set by Bosch Rexroth at its Glenrothes site is a reminder that reductions CO2 emissions from manufacturing operations can make a major contribution towards the environment.”
He continued: “Only by radically improving our track record in energy efficiency can we reduce energy consumption, secure supplies, lower the price tag on the deployment of renewables, reduce CO2 emissions and cushion the rise in energy prices for consumers and businesses.”
