NEW ENERGY TO MAKE FRENCH, GERMAN CARS

Carmakers Turn to Green Energy for Assembly Plants; BMW will install wind turbines at electric and hybrid model plant; VW will use hydro-electric power to cover 10% of needs at 12 German plants; Renault has zero-carbon factory.
Etienne Balmer, September 14, 2011 (AFP)

"Wind turbines and solar panels are fast becoming familiar sights at car assembly plants as automakers slash carbon emissions…along the whole production chain…Germany has opted to pull out of nuclear power and…[carmakers] are spearheading the drive into renewable sources…From 2013, BMW has decided to install wind turbines at its plant in Leipzig…for the assembly of its electric and hybrid models, the i3 and the i8…

"Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, recently announced…[it will] cover 10% of the electricity needs of its 12 German plants via hydro-electric power from 2013…[and] VW has earmarked billions of euros for investment in renewables over the next two years and is set to announce the acquisition of a stake in a giant wind park in the North Sea soon."

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"French giant Renault boasts that has opened a "zero-carbon" factory at Tangiers, Morocco, powered by wind turbines while biomass generators provide steam and heating and manufacturing waste is recycled…[and] is planning to equip its French sites with solar panels by 2012…

"…[A]utomakers are not intending to move into electricity generation on a large scale themselves, but will simply "accompany" research and development in the new infrastructures associated with clean cars…All sides insist that governments should lead the way…"