GHG Emissions  -  December 1, 2021

General Motors, Colgate-Palmolive Lead EPA’s EnergyStar Challenge For Industry

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency celebrates the 580 manufacturing plants that achieved the energy savings goals set out by EPA 10 years ago to drive energy efficiency and GHG emissions reductions. Through the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry, manufacturing plants agreed to reduce energy intensity by 10% within five years and 580 plants nearly doubled this goal.

The plants that met this challenge reduced their energy intensity by 19% within an average of two years. More than 100 plants have taken the challenge twice in a row, achieving reductions of more than 10% each time. These plants have prevented more than 17 million metric tons of GHG emissions from entering the atmosphere and saved more than $443 million in energy costs.

Among the companies with 10 or more plants that have achieved the Challenge goal are General Motors (151 plants), Colgate-Palmolive Company (79 plants), Corning Incorporated (36 plants), Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (36 plants), and Hanesbrands Inc. (25 plants).

“Tackling the climate crisis requires everyone coming together to reduce pollution and our industry partners have shown that we can accomplish this while improving energy efficiency and achieving millions in cost savings in the process,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan in a statement. “Companies that have met the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry have demonstrated the business case for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through efficiency, and we encourage more companies to accept the challenge and help America transition to a clean energy future.”

EPA works in partnership with manufacturers to accept the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry and pledge to reduce their plant’s energy intensity through improved energy management. Plants often can achieve this goal through low- and no-cost operational measures. Since 2010 more than 150 manufacturing companies have taken the pledge on behalf of more than 1,800 manufacturing plants in nearly every state and more than 60 countries globally in dozens of industrial sectors, including automobile manufacturing, paper milling, bread and roll bakeries, pharmaceuticals, cement, glass, electronics, and textiles.

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