Our ambition to be climate neutral in our operations 

The ambitious goal of targeting zero carbon emissions from our factories and sites by 2030 means driving clean, resource-efficient operations.

Electrolux continues to reduce its environmental footprint by shifting to renewables and optimizing the use of energy and other resources throughout its operations.

Efficiency improvements in recent years, together with a shift to renewable electricity, has reduced energy consumed at Electrolux manufacturing sites per product by around 45% since 2005 and CO₂ emissions by more than 70% compared with 2015.  

Here are a few examples of how the company is tackling it across plants and facilities in Australia, North America and Europe.

Award-winning solar power in Adelaide

The Electrolux Dudley Park cooking plant in Adelaide, Australia, is a force when it comes to using renewable energy, as seen from up high with 8,350 roof-top solar panels. Adelaide has more than halved its energy KPI, and over 40% of the site’s electricity comes from the solar photovoltaic system, which generates around 3,500 MWh and avoids approximately 2,500 metric tonnes of CO₂ every year.

When over-capacity occurs, the energy is saved in new Tesla batteries, which were commissioned during a visit by Electrolux CEO Jonas Samuelson in February 2020 for use on days with lower solar production. Any additional capacity is sold back to the grid. The huge strides to promote clean energy at the plant and its ongoing commitment to combat climate change were the motivation for winning the Electrolux Group’s annual Sustainability Award in 2020.  

Cooking up greener, cleaner manufacturing

The modernization of our Springfield site in Tennessee is creating the opportunity to expand production by adding a further 55,700 m² of space specifically for manufacturing capacity. Despite the increase in production capabilities, the new and improved plant will be at least 30% more energy efficient with CO₂ emissions reduced by 40%.

This will be achieved with new assembly line processes, including electrification, heating, spot cooling and daylight sensors in combination with LED lighting. The enameling process – essential for oven production – is the biggest consumer of natural gas at the plant and new equipment installed at Springfield will enable it to convert to electrical heating when technology allows.

Energy-saving building for Italy’s R&D hub

The 7,000 m² Electrolux R&D Center for dishwashers and frontload fabric care in Porcia, secured A3 Class of the European Building Energy label in 2020.

This followed a year of extensive renovation and restructuring of the building that was built in 1962, using state-of-the-art technology to reduce energy from 200 kWh to 42 kWh per m², eliminating the use of natural gas and substantially reducing emissions. Highlights of the building’s upgrade include an external insulation layer, triple-glazed windows, a heat-pump heating and cooling system, and a photovoltaic system.

The building now offers an improved work environment for its 250 employees with an intensity adjustable LED lighting system and microclimate conditions created with the redesigned distribution of air. It allows for advanced and locally controlled humidity and temperature levels for optimal wellbeing.

Towards carbon neutrality – and beyond
In 2018, Electrolux was one of the first 100 companies in the world to establish approved Science Based Targets to reduce absolute CO₂ emissions from operations by 80% and emissions from products by 25% by 2025. The Electrolux target for 2030 is to be climate neutral with zero carbon emissions from its operations.

Looking ahead, Electrolux has pledged its commitment to the United Nations Global Compact – Business ambition for 1.5°C – for net zero emissions throughout its value chain by 2050, in line with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement climate target.

Read more on our approach and progress in our Promise Be climate neutral and drive clean and resource efficient operations.