US – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave the vehicle-maker its 2015 Energy Star Partner of the Year accolade for employing innovative energy-efficiency strategies, setting ambitious goals and achieving reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Last year, the OEM reduced its energy intensity by 6% worldwide, implementing a number of measures to improve its environmental footprint. The company’s tracking system, Energy OnStar, was expanded to its powertrain facilities for the real-time monitoring of energy per unit produced, plus heating and cooling systems.
In addition, the use of coal was eliminated at its plants in Wentzville, Missouri, and Detroit-Hamtramck, Michigan. GM also invested $34m at over 30 facilities for energy-efficiency, water and carbon reduction projects with a two-year return on investment.
The OEM saved $196m in energy costs and 1.8m metric tons of CO2, equivalent to adding 378,947 passenger vehicles without a greenhouse gas impact. Since joining the Energy Star scheme in 1995, GM has decreased the energy intensity of its US operations by 40%, cutting CO2 emissions by 41% and saving $435m in energy costs.