Mercedes 2002 Annual Report Download - page 63

Renewable fuels – an option for the future
Nevertheless, it is clear that efforts to improve the
environmental credentials of motor-vehicle traffic must
focus on more than just the car itself. Of even greater
importance is the optimization of the entire vehicle-fuel
complex.
In this respect, alternative fuels, and renewable fuels
in particular, have an important role to play. Even
though oil supplies are set to last well into the medium
term, we are naturally also investigating possible alter-
natives. As part of the so-called Choren project, we
are therefore looking into ways of turning biomass into
diesel fuel or methanol. In the coming years, we
can expect to see a development in this field similar to
what has already occurred with the use of renewable
materials in vehicle production.
The issue of renewable fuels is also closely linked to
the question of drive technology. From a “well-to-wheel”
perspective, which is a holistic approach considering
all aspects ranging from oil drilling to the drive train, it
is already evident that the use of renewable fuels even
with conventional combustion engines would make
a significant contribution to reducing CO2emissions.
Alongside our core objective, which is the continued
enhancement of the efficiency of our drive systems,
we therefore actively promote the introduction of envir-
onmentally compatible fuels in the market.
Promoting innovations in environmental protection
In order to boost environmental awareness among
our employees, we have been awarding our own “Envi-
ronmental Leadership Award” for several years now.
This prize, which is presented to company employees
or suppliers throughout the world, honors exceptional
achievements in the field of environmental protection.
At the same time, both the statistics and the sheer
range of different projects demonstrate just how firmly
environmental protection is rooted in our corporate
culture. In 2002 alone, we received more than 100
proposals for environmental improvements from over
50 company locations in a total of eleven countries.
– In Valencia, Venezuela, DaimlerChrysler employees
teach classes on the subject of environmental pro-
tection at ten schools on a voluntary basis. In this
way, they are actively helping the company to fulfil its
social responsibilities. A total of 37,000 people are
involved in related environmental projects.
– The amount of special waste produced at the Sindel-
fingen plant in Germany has been reduced by 99%,
resulting in savings of nearly 135 million. This exam-
ple shows that innovative methods of reducing waste
support the achievement of both ecological and
economic objectives.
– By exploiting the gas that previously went unused at
a nearby waste disposal site, the heating station
at the Chrysler plant in St. Louis, Missouri, has been
able to cut annual CO2emissions by 15,000 tons
while saving more than 1300,000.
The breadth of our commitment to environmental pro-
tection has also received international recognition.
At the Johannesburg Environmental Summit in Septem-
ber 2002, for example, DaimlerChrysler was presented
with the “World Summit Business Award.” The com-
pany’s dedication to this issue is also one of the reasons
why we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
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