Climate change has become a major global issue. As such, the Kao Group is working to reduce the environmental impact of our production and distribution bases worldwide by installing solar panels, purchasing zero CO2 emissions electricity, and introducing energy-saving equipment.
In Japan, the Kao Group’s largest mega solar power generator (2845 KW capacity) was installed at the Sakata Plant, alongside solar panels that have also been introduced at the Tochigi, Toyohashi, Ehime and Kawasaki Plants, as well as at the Sumida Kita Logistics Center and Atsugi Logistics Center.
Furthermore, we have introduced solar power generation at our production bases and offices in Kao Industrial Thailand, Kao Penang Group (Malaysia), Pilippinas Kao (Philippines), Kao Corporation Shanghai, Kao (Shanghai) Chemical Industries, Kao (Taiwan) Corporation, Kao USA Inc., Kao Chimigraf (Spain), Kao Austria, PT. Kao Indonesia Chemicals, Kao Corporation S.A. (Spain) and Quimi-Kao, S.A.de C.V. (Mexico). As a result, as at January 1, 2024, we were able to generate 11.3MW of electricity in-house through our solar panels across Kao worldwide.
We are also actively purchasing renewable electricity, and as of December 2023, the ratio of renewable energy outside of Japan was 72.1%, while in Japan it had reached 100%.
By 2023 in Japan and by 2025 globally, Kao aims to procure all of its electricity from renewable sources, and in Japan we have achieved this goal on schedule.
Kao will continue to actively promote the use of renewable energy worldwide.
At the Atsugi Logistics Center, which began operations in 2013, we have introduced solar power generation and switched to using LEDs in all of the lighting. Atsugi Logistics Center earned the A ranking of CASBEE Kanagawa (Kanagawa Prefecture’s Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency) by actively reducing overall environmental impact such as Exterior Insulation and Heat Shielding Pavement. At the Wakayama Plant, in 2022, we introduced a carport-integrated solar power generation system, the first in the Kao Group to use double-sided power generation panels which are highly efficient and long-lasting. This case was published in the Ministry of the Environment, Japan’s “Good Practices Related to Projects That Support the Introduction of New Self-Consumption Solar Energy Such as Solar Carports”.