COMMENT u Sustainability


How Irish industrial companies are moving from


ambition to action to achieve net zero emissions


By Mark Yeeles, VP Industrial Automation at Schneider Electric UK & Ireland M


anufacturing and supply chains were critical during the pandemic and will remain the cornerstone of the


modern economy. However, the requirement to adapt operations swiftly during the last 18 months has revealed apparent flaws. While dealing with supply chain bottlenecks, FMCG firms and Life Sciences suppliers have struggled to ramp up production to meet changing demand. Simultaneously, planning downtime for operational changes has been challenging, making aggressive targets to boost energy efficiency and attain net zero while maintaining output appear even further away. On the surface, many large industrial enterprises appear to be optimistic about their potential to reduce carbon emissions. Reduced carbon footprint is a top three objective for around 25 per cent of large industrial enterprises in Ireland this year. Another 55 per cent are more positive that their carbon-reduction targets will be met. So, is this confidence misplaced, or can


industrial organisations make their climate goals a reality?


DEFYING THE ODDS Industrial organisations are optimistic about reaching their climate targets, but they are also aware there is a long road ahead to achieving them. Making net zero a reality is imperative for businesses, so it’s crucial to put the groundwork in place. However, less than a third have mapped their entire carbon footprint, and one in three businesses are yet to map their carbon emissions at all. It’s time to focus on sustainability and climate change objectives and measure progress against those goals to ensure the business becomes carbon neutral in time. While businesses have the appetite and enthusiasm, many may not even know what assets they have or measure. Tellingly, over half of the industrial companies surveyed don’t consider Scope 3 emissions – created up and down their supply chain and outside of their direct control – to be the single most significant cause of their greenhouse gas emissions. Supply chain emissions are likely to account for 70 per cent of an organisation’s carbon footprint.


THE INDUSTRIAL OUTLOOK Furthermore, a key challenge for large industrial companies is their ageing infrastructure. Factory infrastructure is increasingly complex, and like in many organisations, responsibility for sustainability is unclear or siloed in a specific department. When we talk about smart factories, we’re talking about operational effectiveness and sustainability in the same breath. Energy is more than a commodity or a utility. It’s a vital ingredient for achieving net zero. Our climate action needs a smarter approach, tackling how to make industrial operations faster, better, and


14 March 2022 Irish Manufacturing


at the same time, save energy. Technology will be a crucial enabler for a sustainable business, and 9 in 10 (88 per cent) agree that digitising the business can increase efficiency to reduce energy usage and carbon emissions that they produce. For the Irish industry to thrive, organisations must embrace new, ultra-high-performance motion and robotic controllers and IIoT technologies, including Augmented Reality (AR), as well as the software needed to manage industrial operations efficiency. Only then will businesses realise the long-term benefits that Industry 4.0 can bring.


THE ROUTE TO NET ZERO The last few years have taken a heavy toll on the industrial world. The sector has had to change from supply chains to the production line to stay competitive and meet customer expectations and government regulations. However, this has also demonstrated how adaptable and fast-paced the sector can be. As the industry rebuilds and grows in the aftermath of the pandemic, there is a potential for the sector to shift its focus to a green recovery that is sustainable, resilient, and people- centric. Protecting the environment through new regulations and solutions – and investing in technology – will be critical to staying on track to meet ambitious net zero targets. Sustainability has now entered the thoughts


of every industry and every business’s C-suite. Accelerated use of digital technology will ensure that industry can lead the way in the future in terms of green recovery, company profitability and efficiency.


Schneider Electric www.se.com/uk/en/ www.irish-manufacturing.com


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