BMW Australia now has 1,100 solar panels on it’s roof, company fleet is 44% EVs – techAU
BMW Group Australia has significantly expanded the solar panel array at its national headquarters in Melbourne as part of its company-wide sustainability and CO2 emissions reduction efforts.
The roof of the headquarters, which houses office space for BMW, MINI, BMW Motorrad and BMW Financial Services, now features 1,109 solar panels – an increase of 909 panels on the first installation of panels two years ago.
Output of the system as a result is now four times greater, at 500kW, with the capability to produce 600 megawatt-hours (MWh) annually.
The vastly increased capacity means the c – double the number of those from 2023 – can be powered 100 per cent by on-site solar energy.
The percentage of staff-driven BMW and MINI BEVs is 44% of the total company fleet – an increase of 33% from December 2023.
The higher number of company BEVs is in line with the expansion of these vehicles delivered to customers, with these accounting for 29 per cent of the total BMW sales mix. Registrations of BMW BEVs have just hit 7,000 vehicles for the year, an increase of 163% on the same time in 2023.
MINI meanwhile has nearly doubled its number of BEV registrations to the end of November.
BMW Group Australia has also made significant strides in reducing waste and power demand at its HQ. The on-site company bistro has eliminated single-use takeaway cups, adopted plant-based water bottles that reduce carbon emissions by 74%, and transitioned to glass for other beverages, aligning with the BMW Group’s global Rethink, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle strategy.
BMW Group Australia’s sustainability efforts extend beyond its head office, with dealer partners playing a vital role. All dealerships have implemented recycling measures for general waste while also embracing rooftop solar, water recycling, and workshop/customer EV charging solutions.
The initiatives complement the global sustainability efforts of the BMW Group, with an aim to reduce emissions per vehicle over the entire life cycle by 2030 by at least 40% compared with 2019 levels.
