Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) has implemented two projects to reduce the environmental footprint of its Kariega plant, situated in the drought-stricken Nelson Mandela Bay municipality.

The first project is a R20-million wastewater recycling facility, which has been constructed onsite at the plant. 

This facility will recycle production-related wastewater from various production areas, for reuse in certain production processes. 

In addition, to cut the company’s freshwater consumption by an estimated 26%, it will also serve to reduce VWSA’s reliance on municipally supplied water amid the ongoing drought in the region.

At the same time, the company installed 3 136 solar photovoltaic panels, which have been generating renewable, carbon-neutral energy since April. 

The panels, installed on the roof of the final assembly building, will reduce VWSA’s carbon emissions by an estimated 2 590 t of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year. 

At full capacity, the panels will produce an estimated 2 500 MWh, which is enough energy to cover between 3% and 3.5% of the plant’s electricity requirements.

Both projects form part of the German auto maker’s We//2025 corporate strategy, and are included in the Zero Impact Factory strategy VWSA embarked on in 2020. 

Zero Impact Factory is aimed at reducing the company’s production-related environmental footprint, with a focus on climate change, environmental impact and the responsible use of natural resources.

In this regard, VWSA achieved the following reductions last year (compared with the baseline set in 2010) – 49% reduction in energy use; 49% reduction in CO2 emissions; 65% reduction in water use; 66% reduction in waste; 31% reduction in solvent emissions; 50.9% reduction in overall environmental impact.

VWSA has also embarked on an ongoing biodiversity roadmap, starting in 2021 with a project to replace alien plants and trees within the Kariega premises with indigenous, water-wise plants such as spekboom, fever trees and coral trees. 

These efforts include planting a carbon bank of more than 4 800 spekboom cuttings.

"As with our colleagues across the Volkswagen Group, we are committed to protecting the environment in whatever way we can,” notes VWSA production director Ulrich Schwabe. 

“These two projects will make a massive difference in preserving the environment, and achieving our goal of carbon-neutral production by 2030.”