Last 15 October, Marcopolo, one of the world's largest bus manufacturers, received the certification of Clean Energy by Perfil Energia+Limpa (Clean Energy Profile), an energy consultancy in environmental management from Ecovalor (Environment Agency). The company was recognized because of its initiatives in promoting the preservation and improvement of the environment with the use of clean energy in its plants.
The Clean Energy Profile is a certificate granted to the companies that stopped emitting greenhouse gases (GHGs) through the purchase of renewable energy in the Free Market. Within the Sustainable Profile program, which was developed and managed by an independent audit following internationally accepted methodologies, companies are evaluated by the use of renewable energy.
According to Mauro Bellini, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Marcopolo, the company was recognized for having replaced traditional electricity for energy from renewable sources. "We hired the consulting company Perfil Energia (Energy Profile), which advised us on best practices regarding energy use in all our factory units.
They track the measurements and evaluate the consumption of clean energy in each company. We have always used energy in the conventional way; coming from large hydroelectric and thermoelectric plants, and today we are gradually switching to renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and PCH (Small Hydroelectric Plant)", explains the executive.
Marcopolo factories located in the city of Caxias do Sul (Ana Rech and Planalto units) are already using clean energy sources and the Rio de Janeiro unit will adopt it from January 2016 onwards. "Besides the reduction of 1,552.534 tons of CO2 achieved in 2014, by only counting the Planalto unit itself, we will still save around R$ 3.5 million over the four-year contract", says Bellini.
To meet the specifications of renewable energy sources, Marcopolo monitors all the stages of the process along with Perfil Energia. It takes into account the costs/benefits and environmental impacts, which brings positive results and the power supply soundness expected by the company.
Photo credit: Marina Bueno
Photo caption: Marcopolo representatives receive the Energy Consulting Profile Certificate