OREANDA-NEWS. Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced its immediate issuance of the Mitsubishi Electric Group's environmental report for the fiscal year 2014 that ended in March.

The report reviews the operations of Mitsubishi Electric and its 116 domestic and 73 overseas affiliates, focusing on efforts to contribute to low-carbon, recycling-oriented societies, including meeting targets and implementing policies set under the Mitsubishi Electric Group's three-year environmental plan.

Using the Factor X environmental efficiency improvement index, products whose factor improves from the previous year are designated as "eco-products." In fiscal 2014, CO2 emissions generated by 110 Mitsubishi Electric eco-products were reduced 33 percent on average, compared to 29 percent for 109 eco-products in the previous year. The 33 percent reduction rate exceeded the medium-term target of 27 percent in the Group's Seventh Environmental Plan for the fiscal years 2013 through 2015. It also beats the long-term target of 30 percent in the Group's environmental management vision, called "Environmental Vision 2021," which has set 2021 as the target year to commemorate the company's 100th anniversary.

Compared to fiscal 2001 levels, 99 final products sold in fiscal 2014 achieved CO2 emissions cuts totaling 28.2 million tons, while CO2 emissions of 31 interim products were lowered by 66.49 million tons. Total reductions of 94.69 million tons increased significantly from 49.03 million tons the previous year. Mitsubishi Electric expects to further increase such reductions, as well as expand its development and sales of highly energy-efficient products.

Group-wide CO2 emissions from manufacturing operations came to 930,000 tons, beating the Group's target of no more than one million tons. Emissions per sale were 90 percent of those in fiscal 2011, the base year. This was six points lower than 96 percent in fiscal 2013, but missed the fiscal 2014 target of 86 percent.

During the year, Mitsubishi Electric added a real-time monitoring function for photovoltaic systems at manufacturing sites. Combined with existing demand-response control systems, this enabled electricity demand to be controlled in accordance with electricity volume generated by photovoltaic systems. The company is currently promoting peak cuts, a target under the revised energy conservation law that became effective in Japan in April 2014, by utilizing the demand-response control system.

Mitsubishi Electric aims to reduce CO2 emissions from manufacturing operations further by enhancing the energy efficiency and operation of air conditioners, lighting and other equipment at production facilities.

Mitsubishi Electric's total waste and saleable materials generated on an unconsolidated basis was 92,000 tons, up 10,000 tons year on year. The final disposal rate, or the amount sent directly to landfills divided by total waste and saleable materials, was 0.001 percent, which was half the rate of the previous year and far in excess of the fiscal 2015 target of less than 0.1 percent. The company has achieved a final disposal rate of under 0.1 percent for 10 consecutive years.

Affiliates in Japan generated 64,000 tons of waste and saleable materials, up 4,000 tons for the year. Their final disposal rate of 0.09 percent beat the fiscal 2015 target of less than 0.1 percent, marking the fourth consecutive year they have achieved their target.

Affiliates overseas generated 61,000 tons of waste and saleable materials, unchanged from the previous year. Their final disposal rate of 1.04 percent was an improvement from the previous year's 1.55 percent, paving the way to achieve the target of less than 1.0 percent in the current fiscal year.