1 minute read
Cleaner fuels
from Sustainability Report 2020
by Sigma
We continue to invest in employing cleaner technologies and fuels.
We continually explore opportunities to use more sustainable fuels, with lower emissions. This includes everything from migrating to natural gas in steam generators to the full conversion of our production facilities to cleaner fuels.
Transforming our operations We expanded the use of biomass
During 2020, Mexico concluded a project to convert the Lagos de Moreno plant to natural gas, which will allow us to be more efficient and use more environmentally friendly fuel, avoiding almost 3,700 tons of CO2 annually. In 2020, we installed a biomass heater that uses coconut byproducts in our Checo brand plant in the Dominican Republic, resulting in benefits for the operation and the community. This is a similar effort to that in our Sosua plant, and enabled us to reduce the use of fossil fuels to generate steam and fostered certified collecting and marketing supply chains, which also generates a local economic benefit and mitigates fuel disposal in landfills.
Environmentally friendly refrigerants
We work with our suppliers to develop, build, and install new, more efficient refrigeration systems that have a smaller environmental footprint. At Sigma, we are continually searching for new technologies that enable us to employ environmentally friendly natural refrigerants.
In 2020, we started a pioneering pilot test in Mexico to employ propane-based refrigeration equipment. This technology has proven to be more efficient than other refrigerants, and its application on a larger scale is being evaluated. In line with the commitments of the Montreal Protocol, we progressed in the conversion to refrigerants that are friendlier to the environment.
In line with the commitments of the Montreal Protocol, we progressed in the conversion to refrigerants that are friendlier to the environment.
In the US, 80% of the operations use highly efficient refrigerants. In Europe, during 2020 we made progress in our plan to fully convert operations by 2025, avoiding close to 2,600 tons of CO 2. We also worked on the short-term substitution of refrigerants in the rest of our Operational Units.
