Regulatory pressure and Climate Change

The automotive industry is facing increasing regulatory and social pressure to reduce its carbon footprint and move towards more sustainable production models. In this context, the calculation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions becomes an essential tool to identify sources of environmental impact, design reduction strategies and comply with international standards such as ISO 14064 or the GHG Protocol.

In this case, PRODEN GROUP presented a project executed in a company of the automotive sector, whose main objective was to quantify the direct and indirect GHG emissions associated with its industrial operations.

The calculation report was based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) and was carried out for the Organization’s plant in the province of Barcelona.

Project Objectives

• Based on a Control Approach, 100% of GHG emissions attributable to operations over which the Organization has operational control are accounted for.
• Classify emissions according to the scope to which they correspond: whether they are direct (Scope 1) or indirect (Scope 2 and 3) and see the degree of significance.
• Identify critical points of energy consumption and associated emissions.
• Generate an emissions baseline for the design of future reduction plans.

Methodology

The project was developed in four phases:

1. Information gathering: Inventory of fixed and mobile combustion sources.
2. Record of monthly electricity consumption.
3. Logistics transportation and corporate travel data.
4. Consumption of raw materials and generation of waste.

Taking ISO 14064: part 1 as a reference and, as a guide, the PROGRAMA D’ACORDS VOLUNTARIS Framework^(*), it is proposed, based on the organization’s value chain, to analyze the categories that may be significant.

(*) This program (promoted by the Oficina Catalana del Canvi Climàtic) is an initiative that encourages the voluntary reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by organizations and companies, which undertake to set reduction targets and report their progress periodically, using standardized methodologies. It acts as a guide and framework that enables organizations to identify, quantify and manage their carbon footprint, facilitating compliance with future regulations and contributing to the region’s climate objectives.

Classification of emissions:

In this case, direct and indirect emissions were measured.

Direct emissions are emissions that are generated as a consequence of the organization’s activity, and that take place in GHG sources that belong to the organization or that are controlled by it (despite not being owned by the organization, it exercises operational control).

Indirect emissions are emissions that are generated as a consequence of the organization’s activity, but occur at sources outside the organization and are not controlled by the organization. That is, emissions occur outside the boundaries of the organization.

Calculation of emissions:

• Application of official emission factors (IPCC, Ministry of Ecological Transition, regional databases).
• Conversion of energy consumption to tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).

Validation and reporting:

Contrast results with data from energy audits.

Preparation of an internal sustainability report detailing the results obtained and the proposed improvement plan.

Conclusions

The project established a clear baseline of the plant’s GHG emissions, which served as a foundation for future decarbonization strategies. Most of the emissions are concentrated in the consumption produced by transportation and electricity consumption, which reinforces the need to move towards renewable energy sources and efficiency in industrial processes, in terms of mobility efficiency.

The application of standardized methodologies ensures comparability and transparency, key elements for sustainability reporting and compliance with environmental regulations in the automotive sector.

PRODEN Group: Trusted engineering for a sustainable future

This project consolidates PRODEN Group as a reference in Sustainability and Industrial Safety consultancy applied to highly demanding environments. Its ability to integrate regulations, technology and sustainability in a single service demonstrates that engineering can be a driving force for change, without ever giving up safety.

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