The Department of Energy announced July 20 that Nissan will be among eight companies and one university chosen to pilot the Global Superior Energy Performance (GSEP) initiative that will accelerate energy-efficiency improvements in commercial buildings and industrial facilities. U.S. Department of Energy Secretary, Steven Chu made the announcement during the Clean Energy Ministerial in Washington, D.C. This event is attended by ministers from 24 governments and provides a forum for like-minded countries to announce high-ambition, high-potential initiatives related to clean energy.
"When governments, businesses and other entities join together in initiatives such as GSEP, great things can happen," said Bill Krueger, senior vice president of manufacturing, purchasing, supply chain management and total customer satisfaction, Nissan Americas, who participated in the announcement. "We have a real opportunity to reduce the world's energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This kind of collaboration is essential for lasting environmental progress."
Nissan's manufacturing plant in Oppama, Japan, is planning to participate as a GSEP pilot. The program will consist of:
- A framework for accelerated continual improvement in energy efficiency across global operations;
- Energy efficiency decision tools and training to achieve cost-effective savings;
- Global public recognition as an industry energy efficiency leader;
- Developing policies and incentives to reward GSEP-certified facilities;
- Potential incentives from utility energy efficiency programs;
- A framework for supply chain partnerships to drive energy-efficiency improvements up and down the supply chain; and
- Carbon emissions reductions.
Nissan's Oppama plant will begin production of the all-electric Nissan LEAF, the world's first mass-marketed zero-emission vehicle, in the fall of 2010 followed by other Nissan plants around the globe. "Since Nissan is leading the world in promoting zero-emission mobility, participating in the GSEP pilot is a fitting complement," said Krueger.
According to the Department of Energy, Nissan is a fit for GSEP due to its commitment to the Save Energy Now LEADER partnership. Nissan's Smyrna, Tenn., plant is also participating as one of the demonstration sites for the U.S. Superior Energy Performance Program which will include certification to the new ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard in 2012. Nissan has improved its energy efficiency by more than 30 percent at its U.S. assembly plants, saving the company over $11.5 million per year. Nissan was also named as a 2010 Energy Star Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling.
