Alert to the needs of the environment and as a contribution to Michelin’s ‘All Sustainable’ strategy for 2030, all of the company’s plants in Brazil now operate with 100% renewable electric energy supplied from the free energy market, carrying “I-REC” certification.  During 2021, the initiative was instrumental in neutralizing approximately 50% of the CO2 emissions from the manufacturing plants in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo compared with 2019. In 2022, Michelin invested in the same initiative at the plant in the state of Amazonas as well as the natural rubber remilling units in  the states of Espírito Santo and Bahia. The intention is that the Michelin Group’s sustainability pillar should reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

Michelin already has 100% of its renewable electric energy requirements contracted out to 2023 and 80% of the necessary energy out to 2024 and 2025. Among the principal  supply agreements signed out to 2025, one of Michelin’s main suppliers is ENGIE Brasil Energia which trades I-RECs, certificates substantiating that the energy produced and consumed is of a renewable origin, thus fostering the implementation of clean energy plants. Since certification permits the tracking of the origin of the energy, purchasers demonstrate that they are in agreement with the ESG agenda’s best  practices.

This certification for the industry represents an important contribution to leveraging the sustainability indicators of the manufacturing units. “We are very satisfied at being able to reach one of the established targets ahead of the Group’s stipulated deadline (2030). This first major step forward makes us more optimistic for achieving an increasing degree of environmental maturity. We have mapped the way ahead for spearheading this type of initiative through the long-term purchasing of renewable energy”, declares Feliciano Almeida, CEO of Michelin América do Sul.

In addition to the use of renewable energy at its plants in Brazil, Michelin adopts various initiatives for reducing environmental impact. Among these are waste recovery, reduction in energy consumption, use of recycled water, vapor flash recovery system and use of condensate return. One of the highlights of these initiatives is optimization of logistics, reducing truck traffic between the company’s industrial units and consequently, CO2 emissions. In the past year, carbon emissions were reduced by 40% compared with 2019.

“At ENGIE, we are committed to accelerating the transition to a carbon neutral world and it gives us great satisfaction to be a partner with Michelin, a company which assumes clear commitments with sustainability. We are as one in our clients’ journey of decarbonization which besides optimizing energy costs, adds value to the brands, contributes to preserving the environment and positions our partners in the vanguard of sustainability”, comments Eduardo Sattamini, Chief Executive and Investor Relations Officer at ENGIE Brasil Energia.