Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. recently installed a photovoltaic power generation system (solar power) at its Research and Development Integrated Center (RADIC) in Hiratsuka, Japan.
In a space of approximately 90 square meters, 120 new 87-watt panels will supply about 8,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. The system will cut CO2 emissions by about three tons per year.
The RADIC is part of Yokohama's Hiratsuka manufacturing facility, which has employed photovoltaic and wind-powered generation since 2009, though on a smaller scale. Photovoltaic power generation systems also have been introduced at Yokohama's Mishima and Shinshiro-Minami (photovoltaic and wind) plants in Japan.
Overseas, a system has been installed at a new plant run by Hangzhou Yokohama Tire Co. Ltd. in China. The passenger tire manufacturing facility is scheduled to start operation in February 2011
Yokohama deems efforts to combat global warming to be both a priority and a responsibility. And the company takes its responsibiilties seriously: Yokohama plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020.
To achieve that target, Yokohama says it is "endeavoring to shift to the use of natural energies; to adopt highly efficient equipment; and to otherwise aggressively conserve energy."
