In anticipation of the upcoming launch of Porsche’s first full electric Taycan, the German manufacturer is looking to increase its green quotient to attract an eco conscious customer. As part of that endeavor, the factory in Stuttgart has received a pair of new cogeneration plants to heat and power the operation operating entirely on bio products, including biogas and the leftover products from organic waste. Where most power plants emit the heat generated as part of energy production, usually as steam, Porsche’s plant will divert the heat to provide warmth and hot water for nearly 12,000 employees.
“Our objective is not merely to produce a CO2-neutral zero-emissions car, but rather to ensure that we do not leave any environmental footprint at all. To this end, we are pursing the vision of a ‘zero-impact factory’. The new cogeneration plants are an important step in the right direction,” says Albrecht Reimold, Member of the Executive Board for Production and Logistics at Porsche.
Porsche already has two natural gas power generation plants, which it will be transitioning to biogas. An additional organic waste plant is in the works for the City of Stuttgart, set to be in operation in 2021, and Porsche will make use of bio-energy from this site as well once it is operational.
Porsche has provided the below infographic to help explain this new movement toward low impact manufacturing. While Porsche is still a relatively small manufacturer, the hope is that this process catches the attention of larger car makers to proliferate through the industry, not only for more efficient automobiles, but to leave the legacy of a nicer planet.