Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Industrial, Industrial, Sourcing Renewables  -  September 11, 2017

Coca-Cola improved energy efficiency 2% in 2016

Coca-Cola said in its recently released 2016 sustainability report that while it has made progress toward its "grow the business, not the carbon," gemissions reduction goals, it is off track due in part to volume growth outpacing emission ratio improvements and insourcing of external manufacturing processes. 

The beverage company said it estimates its global manufacturing emissions to stand between 10% to 15% higher than its 2004 baseline. 

"Our global manufacturing emissions in 2016 were an estimated 5.45 million metric tons, compared to 5.58 million metric tons in 2015," the company said in an Aug. 26 statement. "While we expect some of this change from minor methodological and process changes internally, we expect our emissions reduction activities at manufacturing facilities contributed approximately 110,000 metric tons of reduction. We remain focused on reductions and improving our energy efficiency." 

On the energy efficiency side, Coca-Cola said it made a 2% improvement within manufacturing operations in 2016. With a focus on refrigeration, the company said it has invested more than $100 million over the past decade to make its coolers more efficient; it has deployed 2.5 million hydrofluorocarbon-free coolers, fountains and vending machines since 2009, 623,000 of them in 2016 alone. 

Additionally, the company said it has 81 operational renewable energy projects at the end of 2016.