News
Sustainability Newsletter – July 2024
Hidden carbon cost of tech, Volvo pushes for more recycled plastics and Renault secures greener supply chain for EV batteries
Words by: Dan Trent
Published on 3 July 2024 | 0 min read
Embedded Chat GPT in your car looks a fun novelty for keeping the kids entertained on long journeys, and is being enthusiastically embraced by Volkswagen and the wider family of brands it owns like Skoda, Cupra and others. VW isn’t the only one at it of course, Citroën’s luxury offshoot DS Automobiles joining those promoting the benefits of onboard AI in a move likely to be shared across other firms within the wider Stellantis group of which it is a part, these including Peugeot, Vauxhall, Fiat, Jeep and many more.
Seems harmless enough, right? But are chatbots and AI actually loading an unwelcome carbon cost onto cars? This is a topic going way beyond automotive but, in short, in widely reported news Google has admitted its AI projects have contributed to a 48 per cent increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the period from 2019 to 2023, rather scuppering Google’s plans to be carbon neutral by 2030. While Chat GPT itself isn’t part of the Google empire the firm’s operating systems are embedded into the architecture of an increasing number of new cars and, more broadly, it shows how new tech can bring with it hidden environmental costs. “Every Google search requires a tiny amount of energy used by the servers in our data centres,” admits Google. “With millions of searches per minute and trillions per year, these tiny amounts add up.” Addressing that 48 per cent increase in emissions since 2019 it says, “This result was primarily due to increases in data centre energy consumption and supply chain emissions. As we further integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may be challenging due to increasing energy demands from the greater intensity of AI compute, and the emissions associated with the expected increases in our technical infrastructure investment.” It is, of course, over-simplifying a hugely complicated subject to say that using an AI chatbot in your car is going to significantly add to its carbon footprint. But it goes to show the unintended consequences of new tech, and how it can sometimes feel like one step forward and two steps back when it comes to reducing the impact of all human activity on the planet we all call home.
Seems harmless enough, right? But are chatbots and AI actually loading an unwelcome carbon cost onto cars? This is a topic going way beyond automotive but, in short, in widely reported news Google has admitted its AI projects have contributed to a 48 per cent increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the period from 2019 to 2023, rather scuppering Google’s plans to be carbon neutral by 2030. While Chat GPT itself isn’t part of the Google empire the firm’s operating systems are embedded into the architecture of an increasing number of new cars and, more broadly, it shows how new tech can bring with it hidden environmental costs. “Every Google search requires a tiny amount of energy used by the servers in our data centres,” admits Google. “With millions of searches per minute and trillions per year, these tiny amounts add up.” Addressing that 48 per cent increase in emissions since 2019 it says, “This result was primarily due to increases in data centre energy consumption and supply chain emissions. As we further integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may be challenging due to increasing energy demands from the greater intensity of AI compute, and the emissions associated with the expected increases in our technical infrastructure investment.” It is, of course, over-simplifying a hugely complicated subject to say that using an AI chatbot in your car is going to significantly add to its carbon footprint. But it goes to show the unintended consequences of new tech, and how it can sometimes feel like one step forward and two steps back when it comes to reducing the impact of all human activity on the planet we all call home.
In brighter news, meanwhile, Volvo has published another one of its interesting and commendably upfront reports on matters sustainability, this time looking at the plastics going into cars and its ambitions to increase the proportion of recycled material in its own models. It starts by saying a staggering 8 per cent of all global plastics are used by the automotive sector, 90 per cent of which come from fossil-based sources.
By way of example an XC40 uses around 250kg of thermoplastics, adding up to around 7 per cent of the embedded CO2 in its construction, making the point that increasing the proportion of this coming from recycled sources can have a real positive impact. While creative use of recycled materials is becoming more and more common across the industry Volvo is making more noise than most, having worked with its suppliers back in 2018 to replace 170 of the plastic components in an XC60 with items made from recycled materials. This totalled 60kg of material in the end, and the principles have informed the way future Volvos are made to the point the firm wants 25 per cent of the plastics in its cars to come from recycled or bio sources by 2025, increasing to 35 per cent by 2030. It's also looking at so-called ‘closed loop’ recycling, which his to say keeping the supply of materials coming from vehicles being scrapped and then reused in the production of new ones. “Recycling of plastics from end-of-life vehicles does not work effectively today,” admits Volvo. “This is due to a combination of current vehicle design and recycling processes.” As such it’s calling for greater investment in technology like chemical recycling and also creating its own closed loop processes, recovering 150 tonnes of material from a programme recovering plastics from old bumpers for starters.
By way of example an XC40 uses around 250kg of thermoplastics, adding up to around 7 per cent of the embedded CO2 in its construction, making the point that increasing the proportion of this coming from recycled sources can have a real positive impact. While creative use of recycled materials is becoming more and more common across the industry Volvo is making more noise than most, having worked with its suppliers back in 2018 to replace 170 of the plastic components in an XC60 with items made from recycled materials. This totalled 60kg of material in the end, and the principles have informed the way future Volvos are made to the point the firm wants 25 per cent of the plastics in its cars to come from recycled or bio sources by 2025, increasing to 35 per cent by 2030. It's also looking at so-called ‘closed loop’ recycling, which his to say keeping the supply of materials coming from vehicles being scrapped and then reused in the production of new ones. “Recycling of plastics from end-of-life vehicles does not work effectively today,” admits Volvo. “This is due to a combination of current vehicle design and recycling processes.” As such it’s calling for greater investment in technology like chemical recycling and also creating its own closed loop processes, recovering 150 tonnes of material from a programme recovering plastics from old bumpers for starters.
Another hot sustainability topic is, of course, the source of metals and minerals going into the battery production for supposedly ‘green’ electric cars. It’s all wrapped up in geopolitics and the desire of European manufacturers to reduce dependence on Chinese sourced raw materials, batteries and electric tech and the poor rep for the emissions in their production and long supply chains.
Which explains a new ‘memorandum of understanding’ between Renault and a Moroccan mining and metals concern called Managem Group to guarantee supply of “low carbon and responsible” cobalt sulphate for its electric car batteries. As well as being geographically closer to Renault’s factories and thereby shortening the supply chain, Managem has committed to using renewable energy for its processes and says 80 per cent of its power already comes from wind. “Renault Group is positioning itself as a key player of more efficient, low-carbon and reusable batteries,” says the Renault statement confirming the deal. “The Group aims to reduce the carbon footprint of its batteries by 20 per cent by 2025 and by 35 per cent by 2030, compared to 2020 … This agreement marks a new step towards reducing the environmental footprint of electric vehicles and the Group's objective of carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040.”
Which explains a new ‘memorandum of understanding’ between Renault and a Moroccan mining and metals concern called Managem Group to guarantee supply of “low carbon and responsible” cobalt sulphate for its electric car batteries. As well as being geographically closer to Renault’s factories and thereby shortening the supply chain, Managem has committed to using renewable energy for its processes and says 80 per cent of its power already comes from wind. “Renault Group is positioning itself as a key player of more efficient, low-carbon and reusable batteries,” says the Renault statement confirming the deal. “The Group aims to reduce the carbon footprint of its batteries by 20 per cent by 2025 and by 35 per cent by 2030, compared to 2020 … This agreement marks a new step towards reducing the environmental footprint of electric vehicles and the Group's objective of carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040.”
Previous Sustainability Newsletters:
• Sustainability newsletter – June 2024 | Farewell chrome plating, bravo for Renault’s recycled interiors and a cheer for the … circular economy for recycled tyres
• Sustainability newsletter – May 2024 | Lithium is key in the production of electric car batteries, but where does it all come from and at what cost? • Sustainability newsletter – March 2024 | The importance of renewable energy in making sure electric cars really are the green choice, and one Dutch couple’s mission to prove it! • Sustainability newsletter – January 2024 | French act on heavy SUVs and embedded CO2 of imported electric cars, BYD plans European factory and Nio opens battery swapping centres • Sustainability newsletter – December 2024 | Vauxhall electrifies Britain’s streets, a second life for electric car batteries and recycled Alcantara seat fabric combines luxury and sustainability • Sustainability newsletter – November 2023 | Costs for EV batteries fall, funding for UK-sourced lithium project, GM goes renewable and Lynk & Co commits to life cycle CO2 audits • Sustainability newsletter – October 2023 | Costs for EV batteries fall, funding for UK-sourced lithium project, GM goes renewable and Lynk & Co commits to life cycle CO2 audits • Sustainability newsletter – September 2023 | Erin Baker shares her thoughts on the UK's changing net zero targets and delaying the 2030 ban for new petrol and diesel cars. • Sustainability newsletter – August 2023 | Zapmap reports increased charger installations, Lime's e-mobility revolution and Nissan's autonomous driving • Sustainability newsletter – July 2023 | Public charging network expands, hydrogen back on the agenda and choosing green tyres • Sustainability newsletter – June 2023 | BMW helps electrify the UK’s national parks and Kia ditches leather across its range of cars • Sustainability newsletter – May 2023 | What upholstery will you be choosing for your next car - leather or pleather? • Sustainability newsletter – April 2023 | Polestar’s ‘moonshot’ for a zero emissions car and a look into synthetic fuels as a possible lifeline for internal combustion classics • Sustainability newsletter – February 2023 | Our regular sustainability round-up continues with a look at some new recycled materials this month, all of which could be in your car soon • Sustainability newsletter – January 2023 | Eco awareness is driving more and more car buying decisions for a variety of reasons -here we celebrate those doing it right!
• Sustainability newsletter – May 2024 | Lithium is key in the production of electric car batteries, but where does it all come from and at what cost? • Sustainability newsletter – March 2024 | The importance of renewable energy in making sure electric cars really are the green choice, and one Dutch couple’s mission to prove it! • Sustainability newsletter – January 2024 | French act on heavy SUVs and embedded CO2 of imported electric cars, BYD plans European factory and Nio opens battery swapping centres • Sustainability newsletter – December 2024 | Vauxhall electrifies Britain’s streets, a second life for electric car batteries and recycled Alcantara seat fabric combines luxury and sustainability • Sustainability newsletter – November 2023 | Costs for EV batteries fall, funding for UK-sourced lithium project, GM goes renewable and Lynk & Co commits to life cycle CO2 audits • Sustainability newsletter – October 2023 | Costs for EV batteries fall, funding for UK-sourced lithium project, GM goes renewable and Lynk & Co commits to life cycle CO2 audits • Sustainability newsletter – September 2023 | Erin Baker shares her thoughts on the UK's changing net zero targets and delaying the 2030 ban for new petrol and diesel cars. • Sustainability newsletter – August 2023 | Zapmap reports increased charger installations, Lime's e-mobility revolution and Nissan's autonomous driving • Sustainability newsletter – July 2023 | Public charging network expands, hydrogen back on the agenda and choosing green tyres • Sustainability newsletter – June 2023 | BMW helps electrify the UK’s national parks and Kia ditches leather across its range of cars • Sustainability newsletter – May 2023 | What upholstery will you be choosing for your next car - leather or pleather? • Sustainability newsletter – April 2023 | Polestar’s ‘moonshot’ for a zero emissions car and a look into synthetic fuels as a possible lifeline for internal combustion classics • Sustainability newsletter – February 2023 | Our regular sustainability round-up continues with a look at some new recycled materials this month, all of which could be in your car soon • Sustainability newsletter – January 2023 | Eco awareness is driving more and more car buying decisions for a variety of reasons -here we celebrate those doing it right!