The New Blueprint: How Top Industry Leaders are Changing the Game
6
Nov 24
The New Blueprint: How Top Industry Leaders are Changing the Game
Welcome to the seventh installment of Water Use Wednesday! Today, we take a look at three well-known industrial producers who have incorporated sustainable solutions into their everyday operations. Tesla, Hershey, and Georgia-Pacific have all implemented a number of unique solutions to lower their overall environmental impact, which reflect the importance they place on proper water stewardship and more sustainable production practices. These unique solutions range from reduction and reclamation to reuse and repurposing, each strategy contributing to a more efficient water management system within each company. Stay with us as we take a deep dive into the practical and relevant examples these companies offer!
Tesla: Gallon Saving Gigafactories
Tesla published an Impact Report in 2022 sharing the amazing ways they have reduced the amount of water used per vehicle within their Berlin and Texas gigafactories. The gigafactory in Berlin uses 1.8 cubic meters per vehicle, while the gigafactory in Texas uses 2.78 cubic meters. These numbers show Tesla’s serious environmental standards when compared to the industrial norm of 3.68 cubic meters. Tesla has been able to further reduce water consumption through hybrid cooling towers, elimination of quench tanks, and implementation of cascade rinsing systems. Tesla has also begun to break ground on reusing rainwater and condensate within their facilities.
At the gigafactory in Texas, Tesla plans to capture 25 percent of roof runoff, potentially saving 7.5 million gallons of potable water annually. Condensate that is sourced and recycled from air conditioning units has also been repurposed for cooling towers, further allowing for reduced water consumption. Landscape irrigation is another area where Tesla has looked to conserve nearly 150 million gallons of potable water each year.
Hershey: Sweet, Smart, Savings
Hershey’s 2023 ESG Report brings to light their notable progress towards reducing water usage across all their facilities. One notable example is Hershey’s facility in Monterrey, Mexico, where a wastewater recycling system was installed to repurpose water for non-food contact processes. This system was not originally a permanent addition to the facility. It came about due to a local water crisis and has been kept in service due to the impressive annual savings of approximately eight million gallons of water. Similarly, in Mandideep, India, Hershey was able to change their water efficiency for the better, specifically improving water efficiency by optimizing production processes. By strategically scheduling production to run in ways that minimize the need for frequent cleaning between different product lines, Hershey expects to conserve approximately 120,000 gallons of water each year. Additionally, Hershey's investment in new equipment at its corporate headquarters led to a 46 percent reduction in water use, and efforts at other priority sites resulted in a 2.5 percent decrease in absolute water use from 2022 levels. These specific measures are part of Hershey’s broader goal to reduce water use by 20 percent at its most water-scarce sites by 2030, addressing both immediate and long-term water sustainability challenges.
Georgia-Pacific: The Devil’s Cut
At Georgia-Pacific's Palatka, Florida paper mill, a significant investment of over $70 million was made to upgrade black liquor evaporators due to drastically rising prices from their water supplier. Black liquor, which is a complex mix of organic and inorganic compounds, is a thick oozy black liquid, one of the by-products of the pulping process.
Advanced systems effectively remove any excess water from the black liquor, allowing the mill to use the resulting material as fuel for its boilers. This upgrade not only enhanced the mill’s energy efficiency, but also led to a 30 percent reduction in water use. This allowed Georgia-Pacific to reduce energy and fuel costs and demonstrated how innovative technology can drive notable environmental benefits.
As we wrap up this edition of Water Use Wednesday, it's clear that Tesla, Hershey, and Georgia-Pacific are putting great efforts into their personal water efficiency. Each company demonstrates that through innovation and commitment, substantial reductions in water use are not only possible but essential for sustainable operations. Tesla's integration of advanced water-saving technologies at gigafactories, Hershey's strategic investments in recycling and process optimization, and Georgia-Pacific's improvements in black liquor management illustrate a broad spectrum of approaches to water stewardship. These examples underscore the importance of adopting water-efficient practices and inspire others in industry to prioritize water conservation. As global water scarcity continues to challenge industries worldwide, the proactive measures taken by these companies offer a hopeful perspective and a model for others to follow.