Energy intensity per vehicle. Click to enlarge.		Carbon intensity per vehicle. Click to enlarge.

GM also increased renewable energy use in 2013 from 62.3 megawatts (MW) to 66.2 MW in 2012, on a target of 125 MW by 2020.

For the most part, progress against these metrics remains consistent with our projected glide path toward reaching our 2020 manufacturing commitments. One of the challenges we face is that our 2020 renewable energy goal was based on doubling solar capacity by 2015. Complexity of solar purchase power agreements and the cost competitiveness of solar energy in various regions of the world are impacting the pace at which we can add solar capacity. As a result, we are evaluating how we can address this potential shortfall.GM Sustainability Report 2013

Energy efficiency. GM increased the number of facilities around the world that meet the US EPA’s ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry from 54 to 63 in 2013. All 63 plants, on average, reduced their energy usage by 25%—equivalent to the electricity use of 200,000 homes, and resulting in $162 million in savings.

Currently, the best energy usage among our plants is found within our GM International Operations (GMIO). The latest data show that GMIO’s average total energy usage is 1.07 megawatt-hours (MWh) per vehicle, approximately half the industry average of 2.01 MWh per vehicle. GMIO’s performance reflects both newer plants, as compared to those in Europe and North America, as well as cultural practices, high productivity and preferences.

—GM Sustainability Report 2013

Renewable energy. Overall, GM has 40 MW of solar power installed across its global facilities, with two of the largest rooftop solar arrays in the world located at the Opel Rüsselsheim facility in Germany and the Zaragoza plant in Spain.

One of GM’s newest US solar installations was expanded to 1.8 MW capacity for the rooftop solar array on the Toledo Transmission facility; the array powers 3% of the electricity consumption at the facility. GM also has completed construction of a solar installation at Changwon Assembly plant in South Korea, the home of the Chevrolet Spark and Spark EV. The 3 MW installation will cut carbon emissions by 2,400 metric tons annually. GM has announced another solar project at Changwon that will increase capacity to 6.5 MW in 2014.

GM is also one of the largest users of landfill gas in the US; three of its facilities there combined generate more than 24 MW of renewable energy from landfill gas. In addition, the GM do Brasil manufacturing facilities in 2013 procured on average 8 MW of small hydro-generated electricity.

In late 2013, GM joined with Detroit Renewable Energy to announce a renewable energy project to turn solid municipal waste from the metropolitan Detroit area into process steam that will be used to heat and cool portions of Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant, home of the Chevrolet Volt. When the project is operational, 58% of the plant’s energy needs will come from renewable energy—making Detroit-Hamtramck the top GM facility in the world by percentage of renewable energy used. This agreement also eliminates the use of coal, saves money and reduces GHG emissions by 57,000 metric tons.