Logistics service provider DB Schenker wants to make existing business premises more sustainable. Distribution centres are being fitted with solar panels and in a number of locations the company is switching to LED lighting.
DB Schenker is targeting a 20 per cent CO2 reduction by 2025. The company is investing in a clean vehicle fleet in the coming years and is also aiming to reduce emissions from its buildings.
Solar panels at existing locations
More than 7,000 solar panels were commissioned at Schenker Venlo Tradepark Noord logistics centre this month. The panels are expected to generate 1,755 MWh, the annual electricity consumption of some 500 families. About a quarter of the energy is used by the Schenker branch itself, with the excess production being fed back into the energy network. The company is investigating the potential for solar panels at other locations in the Benelux, with solar panels already in place at Schenker's Zwevegem and Eupen branches.
Energy consumption reduced by 40 per cent
"Making our existing business premises more sustainable is at the forefront of our company policy. We are always exploring new opportunities in and around our branches to reduce our ecological footprint," says Emile Goossens, CFO at Schenker Logistics Benelux. As an example, Goossens cites the switch to LED lighting. "A number of locations in the Benelux have already made this switch in the past three years. This results in a drastic reduction of almost 40 per cent in annual energy consumption. The lighting installations can be remotely controlled and adapted to the desired working situation. This includes motion sensors, light dimming and time switching."
