Reducing and transforming our energy use
We are committed to reducing our impact on climate change and to reducing our emissions of green house gases. Over the next 15 years we will work to radically transform our business model, replacing our existing use of oil, gas and fossil fuels in manufacturing and distribution with energy from renewable sources.
This objective is challenging and will involve replacing much of our existing manufacturing and distribution infrastructure. It will require significant exploration of renewable alternatives such as hydrogen-powered vehicles, bio-mass generators and new power sources. We need to work with our suppliers, experts in these fields, retail customers and other PepsiCo markets to make this pledge a reality.
We will report on the progress we make and the challenges we face. Our total carbon footprint in 2007 was 209,797 tonnes CO2e. The largest contribution to our carbon footprint comes from the energy used at our manufacturing sites. Our direct energy use during 2007, the oil and gas burned at our sites, was 501,959,311 kWh. In addition our indirect energy use, the electricity used to power our facilities, was 144,848,084 kWh.
Figure 5: PIUK carbon footprint - 2007 breakdown (tonnes CO2e)*
Our energy-reduction strategy reduced the amount of energy used per kg of Walkers Crisps production by 32% between 2000 and 2007 to 3.1 kWh. The energy used to make all of Walkers Crisps and snacks was 2.69 kWh per kg of production 2007.
This was achieved by a range of investments in new technology, waste reduction programs involving all our employees and improved start up and shutdown procedures. Our employee air travel is not included within our carbon footprint (see scope and boundaries), but we estimate it to be 2,637 tonnes CO2e (around 1.3% of our total footprint).
Figure 4: Walkers Crisps energy use per kg of production (2000-07)
Renewable and local energy
As well as reducing the overall amount of energy we use we are increasing the proportion of renewable energy. At our Quaker Oats factory in Cupar, Scotland, we plan to invest £6m in a new combined heat and power biomass boiler, powered by the husks from our oats. The new boiler, which is around five times more expensive than a conventional fossil fuel boiler, will generate enough steam and electricity to power the site, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 9 m kg a year.
In addition, for the first three years of operation, the site will prevent a further 1.8 m kg of carbon dioxide a year being released as it will export over 1,300 megaWatt hours of renewable energy back to the National Grid. The move will further reduce carbon emissions by cutting over 172,000 road miles, as the oat husks will no longer have to be transported from the site, eliminating a further 600,000 kg of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Figure 3: Quaker Oats manufacturing (Cupar) carbon emissions per kg of production (2000-06)
