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Environmental
Management
Sustainability Report 2006 |
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Environmentally Friendly Manufacturing (1)
Measures against Global Warming |
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Global warming is believed to be caused by the
increase of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane,
created by human activity. The Kyoto Protocol went into effect in
February 2005, and preventive measures are being undertaken at an
international level. Kobe Steel and its group companies are implementing
energy-saving activities and reviewing energy use in their operations,
in accordance with voluntary action plans in their respective industries.
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| Energy Savings in Production Processes |
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At steelworks
and plants, efforts have been made to greatly reduce energy consumption.
Measures include implementing concatenated processes, introducing
large exhaust heat recovery equipment, and minimizing the number of
heating and cooling processes. At the same time, we are developing
new iron-making technologies for higher energy savings and lower impact
on the environment.
In 1990 we started switching from oil-based fuel to city gas, which
releases far less carbon dioxide. In 2005 gas accounted for 2.7% of
the energy used in Kobe Steel Group companies. Kobe Steel's Iron and
Steel Sector accounts for 97% of the company's output of CO2. |
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Breakdown of Energy
Sources and Amount Used (including 45 domestic Group companies)
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Voluntary Action Program
Voluntary Action Program in Industry |
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Industry Segment
(Trade Association) |
Target |
Iron and
Steel
(The Japan Iron and Steel Federation) |
Reduce energy consumption in production
processes by 10% between 1990 and 2010. Another 1.5% reduction
from the 1990 level is also planned through such measures
as using waste plastic in blast furnaces, provided the
necessary infrastructure (namely collection systems) is
built. |
Aluminum
(Japan Aluminum Association) |
A 10% reduction in specific energy consumption
between 1995 and 2010. |
Rolled Copper
(Japan Copper and Brass Association) |
A 7.5% reduction in specific energy
consumption in production between 1995 and 2010. |
Industrial
Machinery
(The Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers) |
Reduce CO2 emission
by 12.2% between 1997 and 2010. (Evaluating the CO2
emission coefficient of utility power based on the fiscal
1997 coefficient) |
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Iron and Steel Sector |
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At Kakogawa and Kobe Works, concatenated processes
in steelmaking, recovering and reusing waste heat from processing,
and new energy-saving technology have been implemented since the 1970s.
In 2000, a high level of energy savings was achieved by utilizing
waste resources effectively such as waste plastic in the blast furnace,
updating the facilities, and making use of new technologies.
We are also helping to limit global warming by saving energy in other
industrial sectors, for example through the development of environmentally
friendly
products such as high strength steel sheet that is used to make lighter
weight automobiles.
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Although steel production increased
in fiscal 2005, additional power generation equipment using recovered
blast furnace gas, the increased use of waste plastic, and electricity-saving
activities at production facilities contributed to a slight decrease
in specific energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
Under the current medium-term business plan, Kobe Steel intends to
make equipment investments to reduce energy consumption and CO2
emissions. Examples of such projects are increasing waste plastic
treatment equipment, refurbishing waste heat recovery equipment, increasing
power generation efficiency by improving turbine efficiency, and improving
waste heat recovery at the sintering plant, heating furnaces at the
rolling mills, and sheet annealing furnace. The Company will continue
its switch from oil-based fuel, such as LPG and heavy oil, to city
gas.
With attention to changes in production volume, Kobe Steel intends
to undertake additional energy-saving investments, following the Kyoto
Mechanisms, to carry out the steel industry's voluntary action program.
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Changes in CO2
Emissions (estimated value) and Index of CO2
Emissions per Unit (Iron and Steel Sector)
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Changes in Energy
Consumption Index at Kakogawa Works
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| Production Flow and Main Energy Savings |
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Aluminum and Copper Company |
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The Aluminum and
Copper Company is promoting energy savings in accordance with the
voluntary action plan of the Japan Aluminium Association and Japan
Copper and Brass Association.
At plants and works we are cutting emissions of CO2
by boosting the efficiency of facilities and converting to fuels that
release less CO2. For example, at the Chofu
Works, since March 2005 we have been switching the fuel base for aluminum
melting furnaces from bunker C oil and kerosene to LNG. This is expected
to reduce annual CO2 emission by 5%. The Daian
Plant is also switching its fuel base from kerosene to natural gas,
and expects to reduce the annual CO2 emission
rate by 7%.
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Changes in Energy
Consumption Rate and CO2 Emission (estimated
value)
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| Energy Savings in Logistics |
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Kobe
Steel is striving to improve distribution efficiency by unifying administrative
and back office operations. Efforts include achieving optimum and
quick domestic and overseas raw material distribution as well as optimum
and quick product distribution inside the plants and works and from
the plants and works to customers.
In addition, each office and group company is also making efforts
to reduce carbon dioxide emission. Efforts include introducing eco
cars and "idling stop" campaigns for all commercial cars
in our business operations. |
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One of Japan's largest unloaders is operating
at Shinko Kobe Power Station. |
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Iron and Steel Sector |
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Efforts have been
made to improve the efficient transportation of products by selecting
the optimal routes and means of transport and upgrading information
systems such as the shipping allocation system.
Since 2003, action has been taken to deliver products as close to
the customer as possible by ship or rail, cutting the distance traveled
by trucks, in a modal shift of transport means. Changes affecting
about 20,000 tons of cargo per month in the three years from 2003
to 2005 resulted in a 3% cut in CO2 generated
by transportation.
As part of a three-way alliance, Kobe Steel cooperates with Nippon
Steel Corporation and Sumitomo Metal Industries in transportation.
One measure is the joint operation of vessels in domestic waters.
Instead of returning empty after delivering cargo, ships now take
on cargo from any of the three companies. This improves efficiency
and lowers energy consumption.
To comply with revised energy saving legislation that came into force
in April 2006, we are investigating how much energy is consumed through
transportation, and are formulating plans to save energy.
Under the medium-term business plan, more focused efforts will be
directed to modal shifting and improving the efficiency of transportation
by ship and truck. There are plans to replace the current iron ore
carriers used between the Kakogawa and Kobe Works, as they age, with
larger ships to improve efficiency. Trucks and trailers used for transportation
purposes are gradually being replaced with more fuel-efficient vehicles.
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Loading a container with steel wire rod
Offloading from a trailer |
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Welding Company |
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| The Welding Company's efforts
include selecting appropriate modes of transportation in accordance
with shipment volume and modal shifting to ships and railways. |
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Aluminum and Copper Company |
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The Aluminum and Copper Company
promotes joint distribution with other companies in the same field.
For example, the Moka Plant is increasing transportion efficiency
through joint vehicle allocation with Sumitomo Light Metal Industries,
Ltd. The Chofu Works is also expanding its energy-saving measures
such as joint truck delivery and joint utilization of warehouses.
Also, the Moka Plant changed the landing port for some of its imported
aluminum ingots from Yokohama Port to Hitachinaka Port, which is closer
to Moka, reducing the transportation distance in half. When using
Yokohama Port, efforts are made to improve transportation efficiency
by taking on exports as cargo on the return trip. As a result, the
energy used in the domestic distribution of imported ingots is reduced
by 7%.
Since 2005, we have also been promoting a modal shift to railways
and ferries. |
| Group Company Activities Undertaken to Reduce Global
Warming |
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| Company name |
Location
of plant |
Activities |
Shinko Kobe Power
Inc.
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Kobe,
Hyogo |
Saving energy by adjusting charge rate of
electrical dust collectors. |
| Kobe Special Tube,
Co., Ltd. |
Shimonoseki,
Yamaguchi |
Improving combustion in metal furnaces and
reducing consumption of compressed air in cooling beds. |
| Nippon Koshuha
Steel Co., Ltd. |
Imizu,
Toyama |
Renovating heat treatment furnaces to energy-saving
specifications. |
| Kobe Welding Wire
Co., Ltd. |
Fukuchiyama,
Kyoto |
Saving energy by using inverters for water
control in finishing, and limiting the number of compressors. |
| Hanshin Yosetsu
Kizai Co., Ltd. |
Okayama,
Okayama |
Staggered continuous production of bond flux.
An operations information recording system for the drying/firing
process in the sintering plant is used for quality inspections
and studying more efficient use of energy. |
| Kobelco &
Materials Copper Tube, Ltd. |
Hadano,
Kanagawa |
Boosting productivity of annealing furnaces
and improving pump control for water circulation. |
| Shinko Metal Products
Co., Ltd. |
Kita-Kyushu,
Fukuoka |
Shortening annealing process, using smaller
water pumps, reviewing operation of boiler in the summer season,
switching to steam pressure, and reviewing operation of electrical
engine compressors and engine compressors. |
| Niko-Aluminium
Industries, Ltd. |
Moka,
Tochigi |
Circular annealing furnace and operating procedures
have been improved. |
| Genesis Technology
Inc. |
Iruma-gun,
Saitama |
Heat pumps installed. |
| Shinko Engineering
Co., Ltd. |
Ogaki,
Gifu |
Use of solar power. |
| Shinko Electric
Co., Ltd. |
Ise,
Mie |
High-efficiency mercury lamps installed. |
| Twin Foods Co.,
Ltd. |
Amagasaki,
Hyogo |
November 2005 - March 2006: Lowered storage
temperature of goods. |
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| ECOWAY Office Activities |
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| Under
the Kobe Steel Group's Ecoway Office Activities, air conditioning
is set at 28 degrees C (82 F) in the summer and 20 degrees C (68 F)
in the winter at the head offices, branch offices and sales offices.
In the summer, employees are no longer required to wear neckties.
Other activities include turning off lights during lunchtime, using
energy-saving lighting, and using energy-saving computers. |
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"Summer Eco-Style" poster
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Winter poster promoting energy savings
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