Olympus to Employ 100% Renewable Energy in Manufacturing, R&D

Japanese medical equipment and photography firm corporate Olympus Corporation has announced that from April 2022, the company has begun to exclusively source 100 per cent of the electricity used at its major research and development (R&D) and manufacturing sites in Japan from renewable sources.

The official statement reveals that as a result, carbon dioxide emissions from Olympus Group facilities in Japan will be reduced by approximately 40,000 tons annually. The percentage of the Olympus Group’s total electricity use in fiscal 2023, which ends March 2023, from renewable energy sources is expected to substantially increase from approximately 14 per cent in the previous financial year to approximately 70 per cent.

Olympus has also revealed the speed of transition to Renewable Energy Usage across its facilities in Japan and also overseas. The renewable usage was 11.7% in the financial year 2020.

Olympus said that it has set a goal of achieving net-zero CO2 emissions from its site operations by 2030, as part of its commitment to achieving environmentally responsible business growth and creating a sustainable society. “This is a key goal in line with our ESG materiality targets focused on the theme of a carbon neutral society and circular economy,” says the statement.

The company informed that it has already introduced a wide range of initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions. This includes the use of 100% renewable energy at some manufacturing sites in Europe and the United States, the installation of solar power generation facilities at some manufacturing sites in Japan, and support of the recommendations made by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

Olympus also said that to achieve the carbon neutral goal, it will further optimize manufacturing processes and promote energy-saving measures.

Olympus Corporation delves in formulating customer-driven solutions for medical, life sciences, and industrial equipment industries. The company is headquartered in Tokyo and employs more than 30,000 workers in nearly 40 countries and regions.