General Motors has given itself a mighty deadline in the year 2050. The automaker announced it has committed itself to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.
The commitment pertains to the automaker’s manufacturing and operations at 350 facilities in 39 countries across the globe. Currently, GM uses around 9 terawatt hours of electricity to build vehicles, power offices and technical centers and keep the lights on at its warehouses. By 2050, wind, solar and landfill gas will be its main source of energy.
“Establishing a 100 percent renewable energy goal helps us better serve society by reducing environmental impact,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “This pursuit of renewable energy benefits our customers and communities through cleaner air while strengthening our business through lower and more stable energy costs.”
GM also announced its membership to RE100, a global collaborative initiative of businesses committed to 100 percent renewable electricity, working to increase demand for clean power.
The automaker has already taken steps towards this lofty goal. In China, GM is in the process of adding  30-megawatt solar arrays at two facilities, adding to its global tally of 22 facilities with solar power. In total, GM saves $5 million annually by utilizing renewable energy, and the benefits are expected to continue outweighing the costs as the technology advances.
2050 is shaping up to be a brave new world indeed.
Comments
well, duh! There will be no more fossil fuels by 2050! We largely run out of oil in the 2040s…
Each and every one of us is a space heater. We generate heat. Roughly 330 BTUs. Not a lot of heat, mind you, until you remember to multiply that by 7.4 billion ‘space heaters’. Simply by sitting around Starbucks we generate two trillion four hundred forty-two billion BTUs. Per hour.
Nevermind if we get in a car and turn THAT space heater on. There are over a billion cars on the road worldwide.
Like Chinese food? Me too. Ever see them in turning on those gas ovens for their woks? Each time you order anything it gets blasted with the back of the classic 60’s batmobile. For about 2 minutes per plate. And that’s just Chinese food. One of my favorite pizzerias cooks Neapolitan pizza… at about 1000 degrees.
This diatribe could go on for hours. Manufacturing heat, for instance. Trucking. This list is endless.
Gee. I wish there was a BIGGER way to reduce all of this across the board.
There actually is. But we’re such a selfish culture we’d rather extinguish ourselves than name it.