Green Future
Every drop counts
Water management at the Czech and Indian ŠKODA AUTO plants
n the occasion of World Water Day, the carmaker presented its projects that contribute to the economical use of natural resources at the ŠKODA AUTO and ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) production plants. Although water is an indispensable part of car production (e.g. filtration, varnishing and cooling), the carmaker can gradually reduce its consumption.
Thanks to modern technology, the carmaker recycles more than 45% of its annual water consumption.
After the implementation of innovative technologies between 2010 and 2020, the Czech plants reduced their water consumption for car production by almost 37 percent. A good example is the new Paint Shop, whose modern filtration systems treat wastewater, which is the reused within the Paint Shop. Residual paint contained in the air from the spray booths is removed so-called dry separation, where water is replaced by ground limestone, which is further used in the heating plant for flue gas desulphurisation. In addition, this filtration method does not produce any paint sludge as waste.
Water management in India
A significant step was also taken by SAVWIPL, which obtained a Net Water Positive certification for its Indian plants in Aurangabad and Pune from DQS India Pvt. Ltd. The operations of both these plants operate with zero discharge of wastewater, which, after cleaning, is fully used for watering the greenery. ED
World Water Day
The importance of life-giving water is traditionally commemorated on 22 March. Its theme is extremely topical this year – water loss due to the climate change and sustainable water management. That is why the motto is “Help the arid land”, as water is becoming an increasingly scarce natural resource in several parts of the world due to extreme weather fluctuations and drought. Water supplies are dwindling, boreholes and wells are drying up, and people in some areas are experiencing acute water shortages
The Green Age is coming
What a package of measures supporting a climate-neutral EU means for the carmaker
A t the end of 2019, the European Commission introduced its so-called Green New Deal for Europe, whose goal is to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. At the same time, there is a requirement for economic recovery and an improvement in the population’s health and quality of life. ŠKODA AUTO is already taking many of these topics into account.
The greatest challenge is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030, which puts a lot of pressure on reducing CO2 emissions in transport. For ŠKODA brand, this means a greater share of electric cars. The Green New Deal for Europe emphasises the circular economy, that is, the transition to a clean circular economy. “ŠKODA AUTO will have to work more intensively on how to use its product material as long as possible – not only within the life cycle of the car itself but after its liquidation too”, explains Pavel Grmela from the PSU – Environmental and Work Protection department.
The transformation from coal energy to solutions based on renewable resources will have a significant impact. In this respect, the carmaker cooperates with ŠKO-ENERGO on several projects, for example, conversion of ŠKO-ENERGO boilers from coal combustion to biomass. It is also worth mentioning the reconstruction of its buildings. Within the EU, buildings account for around 35 percent of the total CO2 emissions due to heat losses. And yet, only a fraction of non-compliant buildings are repaired every year. In connection with the Green New Deal for Europe, the volume of renovated buildings should double to triple every year. ŠKODA AUTO will place emphasis not only on the thermal insulation of its buildings but also on the decarbonisation of its technologies related to heating and cooling. ED
Did you know that ...
... an example of the circular economy is the subsequent use of old batteries from electric cars? The Autodružstvo Podbabská Dealership has already joined the Second Life of Batteries project in cooperation with the VA – After Sales department. Discarded batteries are used, for example as energy storage.