In 2009, Fiat Group produced its first energy action plan: a five-year plan that targets a 15% reduction in energy consumption and related CO₂ emissions between 2010 and 2014, with some variation between Group Sectors.
The main action areas identified are: 
- heat recovery from combustion gases
- improved thermal insulation
- remote-control LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting systems
- use of more efficient electric motors
- installation of inverters on electric motors
- reduced loss of compressed air and vapour
- installation of by-passes on distribution networks
In 2009, the Group began reporting indirect energy consumption, by source, and related CO₂ emissions. To maintain comparability over time, data on direct and indirect energy consumption is reported in aggregate and separately. Data on direct consumption by energy source, broken down by renewable and non-renewable, is only available for 2009.
Data on CO₂ emissions is based on the instructions and standards defined in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and, in particular for the calculation of indirect emissions, the emission factors published in November 2009 by the International Energy Agency. For the first year, emissions from internal energy generation are now presented separately from emissions for power produced by third parties and consumed at Group sites.



⁽¹⁾ Includes secondary energy sources: cooling energy, compressed air and pressurised air.






⁽²⁾ Includes high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO), low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO), diesel, coal, liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and biomass.
⁽³⁾ Includes heating and cooling energy, compressed and pressurised air and renewables (photovoltaic and solar/thermal energy).
⁽⁴⁾ The figure has been corrected and therefore differs from the amount reported in the 2008 Sustainability Report.


Fiat Group only reports CO₂ emissions from energy consumed, as these are the principal greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2009, Fiat Group Automobiles (FGA) plants worldwide achieved significant reductions in energy consumed per vehicle produced. Fiat Group Automobiles outperformed its own targets, and the consumption index per vehicle produced fell 6.3%, from 5.50 to 5.15 GJ.



70% of the result is attributable to operational measures. At Italian plants in particular, manufacturing activities have been reorganised to improve and adapt equipment usage to market demand, balancing the operational structure appropriately.
The remaining 30% of the result was achieved through the installation of more efficient technologies at plants (use of inverters, more efficient electric motors, extension of systems for remote control, etc.). Energy consumption was reduced by around 925,000 GJ, equal to a saving of 80,000 tonnes of CO ₂ . The results are even more impressive when one considers that energy consumption is a variable factor indirectly correlated to the level of vehicles produced, and that the number of vehicles produced in 2009 was essentially the same as the previous year.
FGA’s use of energy from renewable sources amounted to 7% of total energy consumption in 2009. This renewable energy came almost entirely from certified hydroelectric sources, and was primarily consumed at the Fiasa factory in Brazil.
At the Sata plant in Melfi (Italy), a new cogeneration plant built by Fenice (EDF Group) went into operation in 2009. It is capable of covering 80% of the plant’s total electricity needs, as well as a substantial portion of its heating requirements. Due to the plant’s configuration and heat recovery from the gas turbine’s fumes, the overall yield (the ratio of electric and thermal energy to fuel consumed) actually exceeds 80%.
The Ferrari factory has also had a trigeneration plant in operation since June 2009 which covers nearly all of the company’s energy requirements. As a result, CO₂ emissions were reduced 15% over the previous year.


⁽¹⁾ The figure has been corrected and therefore differs from the amount reported in the 2008 Sustainability Report.

FGA plants worldwide registered a 12.6% drop in CO₂ emissions per vehicle produced in 2009 compared with the previous year. This result was achieved through increased energy efficiency, as well as improvements in emissions factors which are specific to each geographic area where Fiat Group Automobiles operates. The latter is estimated to account for around 5% of the decrease and is due to innovations and improvements introduced for the thermoelectric generation systems of providers.



⁽¹⁾ Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx) are only calculated for sites with proprietary power generation systems and relate to energy consumed. They should therefore be considered direct emissions. During 2009, Fiat Group took an inventory of all plant and equipment containing ozone-damaging substances as per Regulation (EC) 1005/2009 of the European Parliament and Council. This is the first year for which the data is reported and the results are available at http://sustainability.fiatgroup.com.
⁽²⁾ This figure has been corrected and therefore differs from the amount reported in the 2008 Sustainability Report.