Creating a carbon-free future is only possible through collaboration. In a shared commitment to reduce its environmental impact, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) is making it easier for customers to reach their own carbon reduction goals with personalized plans.
Taking advantage of its existing solutions and services, Volvo CE has developed a step-by-step approach with the CO2 Reduction Program to help customers realize their own goals toward carbon neutrality. There is no one-size-fits-all solution and every customer's business is different, which is why these solutions offer a practical way to make significant improvements to how machines are used currently and in the future.
"Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time, and one of the most important actions we can take is to help reduce our customers' emissions," says Niklas Nillroth, Head of Sustainability and Public Affairs at Volvo CE. "It is vital to get everyone involved and make it easy to contribute as part of one's daily work. Every step on the path to net-zero counts."
"The services we use have been built on decades of innovation here at Volvo CE," continues Nillroth, "but now for the first time we are bringing them together in one cohesive program that can be individually tailored to best fit our customers' needs."
Volvo CE's CO2 reduction in four steps
The CO2 Reduction Program is designed to be integrated into customer's plans, while maintaining required levels of profitability and productivity, and is based on four simple steps:
Insights into the business
Volvo CE starts by understanding where the customer currently is in terms of carbon emissions and establishing a baseline to compare against. Using telematics data from connected machines, Volvo CE determines the CO2 footprint for all machines on-site – no matter the brand. Mapping this data then allows the customer to visualize the impact of carbon reduction changes over time.
Analyzing machine data
The experts at Volvo CE analyze the customer's machine data and conduct a site study to understand how material flow, fleet composition, and operator behaviour affects the emissions on their site(s). Volvo CE then illustrates where improvements can be made and what actions need to be taken to reduce CO2 /ton. Using Volvo Site Simulation, the experts reveal to the customer the impact of these improvements to help motivate real change.
Improving CO2 reduction efforts
After identifying the specific actions required, Volvo CE helps the customer to implement them. This will vary from customer to customer and could include services such as Eco Operator training and other efficiency services such as Efficient Load Out – or plan a smooth transition towards electric machines.
Sustaining CO2 reduction efforts
At this stage, the customer will already start seeing the rewards of their efforts, both economically and environmentally. However, the final step is for Volvo CE to support in sustaining these efforts, by monitoring the CO2 level over time, to make sure that the improvements reduce emissions and customers do not slip back into old habits. Volvo CE will also look for new ways to reduce emissions even further in the future.
Moving toward zero emissions
This customer program is one of many initiatives devised by Volvo CE for the needed transformation within the construction industry. The company has set a target to reach net-zero value chain greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 – with a 50 percent reduction in CO2 emissions across its own operations and a 30 percent reduction in CO2 emissions across product use as early as 2030.
In 2013, Volvo CE introduced a carbon-neutral construction equipment production facility in Braås, Sweden – which recently built a vehicle made of fossil-free steel – and currently offers a range of electric machines.
Volvo CE encourages customers to find out how they can elevate their efforts to reach net-zero emissions or take the first step on their sustainability journey today by contacting their local dealer or visiting the Volvo CO2 Reduction Program.
