Tata Steel’s Shotton Works has launched an ambitious sustainability commitment, with a 20% carbon reduction target in year one.
Tata Steel’s Shotton Works site in North Wales has been producing market-leading steel products for 125 years. Recognising that today’s changing world is faced with a climate emergency, the Tata Steel team at Shotton Works is committed to providing a positive environmental legacy.
With the Shotton Works site situated next to a protected wetland, some of its earliest sustainability efforts in preserving the natural environment were recognised with a Prince of Wales Award for Conservation all the way back in 1971.
However, the site recognises that there is much more still to be done. Its sustainability commitment builds on decades of effort in this area, influencing every decision made today and in the future.
The formal commitment launching this month is the unification of activities that have already started at the site. More importantly, it also establishes what Shotton Works will do next to embed these principles further within operations.
The ambition is for the Shotton Works to become carbon neutral well in advance of the deadlines set by the Paris Agreement or national targets – in particular the UK greenhouse gas emissions net zero target of 2050. With a bold target to achieve a 20% reduction in the site carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2022, the commitment demonstrates a holistic approach to sustainability that covers four key themes of sustainable development:
- Reducing the site’s carbon footprint
- Developing and producing products and services that support sustainable construction
- Protecting and expanding the biodiversity that co-exists on the site
- Maximising material efficiency and achieving zero onsite waste
These themes encompass all areas of Shotton’s activities, giving the site a clear focus for all its business decisions.
A reduced carbon footprint
The first step to CO2 reduction is being able to quantify and understand the amount being produced. The Shotton site achieved ISO 50001, the International Standard for Energy Management Systems, at the end of last year thanks to its established management system and robust metering and monitoring of energy usage on site, demonstrating a clear visibility and awareness of the CO2 emissions generated.
For 2022, the Shotton site has set a target to reduce its carbon footprint by 20% and is well on track to do so.
A huge part of this will be achieved by switching its electricity supply to 100% renewable sources, bringing its electricity use to zero carbon. From April 2022, the Shotton site will be supplied by a combination of sources such as solar, wind, biomass, and hydro, with the supply fully certified by UK Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs). This major step reduces the site’s annual CO2 emissions by 16%.
Further examples of carbon reduction projects include replacing the on-site vehicle fleet to 100% electric and switching all site lighting to energy-efficient alternatives. In the medium to long term, the site will also be reviewing options for producing pre-finished steel products in a fundamentally more carbon-efficient way, creating the pre-finished steel products of tomorrow. This includes developments such as solar-reflective pigments, as well as bio-based and solvent-free alternatives to reduce the embodied carbon of the products and enable sustainable construction.
Shotton: looking forward to a sustainable future
Decarbonising a traditional industry on the scale of steel is a long-term undertaking. But “long term” shouldn’t stop action from being taken today. Bill Duckworth, Site Manager, Shotton Works commented:
“Sustainability is an increasingly important driver and consideration for the construction industry. There is no silver bullet when it comes to delivering a sustainable future; it’s only when the various aspects of mitigating climate change, supporting biodiversity and being a responsible manufacturer all come together that a real difference can be made.
“Our aim is to deliver even more sustainable products to the market, enabling future net zero carbon buildings to be achieved whilst reducing our carbon footprint as a site. With a combination of activities, we are well on track to achieve our emissions reduction target of 20% this year. These small steps to reduce our carbon footprint amount to big strides on our sustainability journey and delivering our overall sustainability commitment for Shotton.”
For more information about Tata Steel’s Shotton site and the steps being taken to create a more sustainable future for the company, the building industry, and the planet, please visit www.colorcoat-online.com.