UPS Sets New Renewable Energy & Electric Vehicle Goals For 2025

June 30th, 2017 by James Ayre

The highly prominent global shipping carrier UPS has announced a new set of “sustainability” goals that will see the company greatly add to its fleet of alternative fuel and electric vehicles in the coming years, as part of its push to reduce its absolute greenhouse gas emissions footprint for global ground operations by 12% by 2025.

As well as adding more alternative fuel and electric vehicles to its fleets, the new report — the 2016 Corporate Sustainability Report — revealed that the company is planning to increase its reliance on renewable energy.

Interestingly, the company has revealed that the goal to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions footprint of global ground operations by 12% by 2025 was developed using “a methodology approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.”

“Because of our size and scale, we know our commitments can shape markets, advance technologies and be a catalyst for infrastructure investments,” commented David Abney, UPS Chairman and CEO. “We rely on the ingenuity of our employees, suppliers and technology partners to help us reach goals that will transform the shipping industry and spur innovation.”

The press release provides more: “UPS has a goal that 25% of the electricity it consumes will come from renewable energy sources by 2025, a dramatic increase from the 0.2% in 2016. In addition, by 2020 UPS plans that one in four new vehicles purchased annually will be an alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicle, up from 16% in 2016. The company also set a new goal that by 2025, 40% of all ground fuel will be from sources other than conventional gasoline and diesel, an increase from 19.6% in 2016.”

“… The UPS vision entails a future smart logistics network of advanced technology vehicles and facilities powered by more diverse and sustainable energy sources, including on-site solar, off-site wind, renewable natural gas, renewable hydrogen, and renewable diesel delivered via advanced energy system infrastructure. UPS already deploys many of these technologies in its ground fleet and facilities, and plans to significantly increase their use in its worldwide fleet.”

The new UPS report also outlined its new “workforce and community goals.” These include a pledge to donate $127 million in total charitable contributions in 2020, and to achieve the 20 million volunteer hours milestone by the end of the same year.











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