Jun. 20, 2011
Toyota Motor Manufacturing France to Install Solar Wall
Toyota City, Japan, June 20, 2011―Toyota Motor Corporation's (TMC) French production subsidiary―Toyota Motor Manufacturing France S.A.S. (TMMF)―will install a heat-conducting solar wall onto the exterior of its plant in Valenciennes, France.
As sunlight strikes the wall, panels within it absorb the heat, allowing warm air to heat the building's interior. TMMF estimates the installation will result in annual energy savings of up to 25% over conventional heating methods and annual carbon dioxide reductions of approximately 20 tons.
This project is a part of the global sustainable plant activities1 that TMC has been conducting since 2007 with the aim of creating manufacturing operations that harmonize with and make the most use of their environment.
TMMF serves as a sustainable-plant model with on-site solar-power facilities as well as wastewater recycling. In addition to efforts for the preservation of biodiversity within the plant site, TMMF provides environmental-education activities for children in nearby communities.
As sunlight strikes the wall, panels within it absorb the heat, allowing warm air to heat the building's interior. TMMF estimates the installation will result in annual energy savings of up to 25% over conventional heating methods and annual carbon dioxide reductions of approximately 20 tons.
This project is a part of the global sustainable plant activities1 that TMC has been conducting since 2007 with the aim of creating manufacturing operations that harmonize with and make the most use of their environment.
TMMF serves as a sustainable-plant model with on-site solar-power facilities as well as wastewater recycling. In addition to efforts for the preservation of biodiversity within the plant site, TMMF provides environmental-education activities for children in nearby communities.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing France S.A.S. (TMMF) Outline
| Location | Valenciennes, France |
| President | Makoto Sano |
| Establishment | October 1998 |
| Start of production | January 2001 |
| Production lineup | Yaris |
| Land area | Approx. 2.33 million m2 |
| Employees | Approx. 3,500 (as of end of May 2011) |
1An environmental initiative for Toyota plants based on three conceptual pillars: 1) achieving reductions in energy use through the development and introduction of low-carbon production technologies and daily continuous-improvement activities, 2) shifting to renewable sources of energy such as solar power, and 3) preserving local ecosystems and interacting with local communities through afforestation activities at plant sites. Using TMC's Tsutsumi Plant in Japan as a model, Toyota is carrying out activities to harness renewable energy and use of natural vegetation in the United States, Europe (e.g. U.K., France, Belgium), Asia (e.g. Thailand and India), and other places.
