Kingspan is now incorporating green natural gas at all of its business entities in North America, including Kingspan Insulated Panels, Kingspan Insulation, Kingspan Light + Air, VicWest and Tate Access Floors. The move is part of the company’s strategy to become a Net Zero Energy company by 2020.
 
Kingspan has collaborated with Bullfrog Power, Canada’s leading green energy provider, to utilize the company’s green natural gas. The gas is methane, sourced from decomposing organic materials at landfills. Bullfrog Power captures the gas, cleans it and puts in its pipelines, where it is shipped to Kingspan sites. As it is used, green natural gas - or biogas – releases only the CO2 that is part of the natural carbon cycle that would have been released at the landfill sites where it was collected.
 
“Utilizing biogas is another significant step in our final push to become a Net Zero Energy (NZE) company in the next two years,” said Brent Trenga, Director of Building Technology for Kingspan Insulated Panels. “It’s another way we can reduce our carbon footprint and increase our use of renewable energy.”        
 
Securing more renewable energy is a key part of Kingspan’s NZE effort. The company works to ensure that renewable energy is procured from fully-certified sources when it is unable to be produced on-site. In 2016, all electricity used at its North American manufacturing sites was procured from certified renewable sources. Globally in 2016, the Kingspan group used 164.4 GWh of renewable electricity, almost a six-fold increase from 2011 – equivalent to not burning 55 million tons of coal.
 
“We’ve hit the 100% mark in utilizing certified renewable sources for our electricity needs in North America; partnering with Bullfrog Power allows us to start focusing on renewable sources for our natural gas needs,” said Trenga.
 
Kingspan’s aggregate renewable energy use is currently 67 percent, putting the company on track to achieve its Net Zero Energy goal by 2020. The company’s eight North American facilities currently exceed 70 percent.
 
Kingspan was named to the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) Climate A list for the third consecutive year. The A List recognizes 160 corporations worldwide for their pioneering roles in acting on climate change, environmental impacts and building a new sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet.

“Kingspan recognizes the significance of climate change and is committed to lowering our carbon footprint on a global scale,” said Trenga.
 
For more information on Kingspan Insulated Panels North America, visit www.kingspan.com.