Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. announced a major milestone in its sustainability journey by achieving 90% renewable electricity globally. The accomplishment is a testament to the company's commitment to environmental goals, and it paves the way for a greener, more sustainable future.
This remarkable achievement is the result of virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) in North America (solar) and Europe (wind), which are expected to supply 100% renewable electricity to all facilities in those regions. The North American VPPA came into effect at the end of 2022, while the European VPPA began in August 2023. These agreements have positioned Charles River to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from facilities, known as Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Birgit Girshick, Corporate Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at Charles River, expressed her pride in the company's progress: "I am proud of the progress we’ve made in recent years to reduce our climate impact. At every level, our organization is committed to supporting sustainable business practices and driving marked change for our clients, partners, communities, and planet."
The company is well on its way to achieving the goal of using 100% renewable electricity globally by 2025, five years earlier than initially projected. Overall, Charles River has succeeded in reducing Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by an impressive 23% from 2018 to 2023.
One standout accomplishment is Charles River's "Customized High Efficiency Automated Energy Recovery System," which is in use at two of the company's facilities in China. This system has been selected as one of the Top Projects for Energy Efficiency for presentation at the 2023 ENERGY STAR Industrial Meeting. These installations in Chengdu and Shunde collectively prevent over 5,000 metric tons of GHG emissions annually and save 11,000 MWh of electricity. An additional project, the "Solar Thermal System to Support Process Hot Water Loads," received an honorable mention for avoiding the use of approximately 4,000 gallons of fuel oil and preventing 40 metric tons of annual GHG emissions.
Recognizing that collaboration is key to accelerating sustainability efforts, Charles River has entered into partnerships with various organizations:
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership: This voluntary program helps increase the use of green power sources, ultimately reducing air pollution and other environmental impacts related to electricity use. Charles River's participation supports the growth of green power in the United States.
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Renewable Thermal Collaborative: As a member of the RTC, Charles River joins the global coalition committed to scaling up renewable heating and cooling at their facilities, thereby significantly reducing carbon emissions.
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Energize Program: Administered by Schneider Electric in partnership with the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative, this program aims to increase access to renewable electricity for suppliers to the pharmaceutical industry. Through Energize, Charles River seeks to reduce Scope 3 (value chain) GHG emissions and promote more sustainable supply chain practices.
Charles River's dedication to sustainability and green energy aligns with the company's mission to make a positive impact on the environment, support its clients, partners, and communities, and contribute to a more sustainable planet.
Source: biospace.com