Outline · [ Standard ] · Linear+ Renault lanseaza - 'Renault Eco2', info.

renaulteco2jq6.jpg Renault launches its 'Renault eco2' line of vehicles An appellation for ecological, economical vehicles . Renault introduces its new 'Renault eco²' appellation which is intended to inform customers about its commitment to offering ecological, economical vehicles as part of its contribution to safeguarding the environment. True to Renault’s ambitious policy of curbing the impact of its business on the environment, this new appellation guarantees the environmental credentials of the vehicles concerned during each phase of their lifecycle – manufacture, use and end-of-life management. Renault eco² vehicles meet three global environmental standards: they are produced in an ISO-14001-certified plant, their CO2 emissions do not exceed 140g/km (or are biofuel-compatible) and, in addition to being 95% reusable at the end of their life, at least 5% of the plastics they contain have been recycled. . As well as being ecological, Renault eco² vehicles are economical to buy. Because they are affordable to the majority of customers, the progress they represent will lead to significant gains for the environment. Observable examples of Renault’s environmental commitment are downsized engines like the TCE 100hp engine, as well as biofuel-driven vehicles such as the E85 bioethanol Mégane and the B30 biodiesel Trafic and Master. . The eco² line will initially apply to Renault brand vehicles only. However, Renault sees protection of the planet as a global challenge and will later extend the appellation to other regions of the world. . The Renault eco² line is also seen as a means of highlighting the ongoing gains achieved in environmental matters, with standards becoming more and more stringent with a view to offering a line-up of vehicles that are increasingly ecological and economical. The Renault eco2 line: a range of ecological, economical vehicles With the framework of Renault Commitment 2009, the company has publicly stated its ambitious environmental objectives. They form part of Renault’s drive over the last ten years to curb the environmental effects of its activities at every stage in the life cycle of its vehicles – from manufacture to use and end-of-life product management. They also assert its determination to rise to the great ecological challenges by offering its customers here and now affordable technologies that can be applied to the majority of vehicles. Renault believes that by making its environmentally-friendly vehicles economical to buy and run it will increase the benefit they represent for the environment. The Renault eco² appellation underpins Renault’s environmentally friendly approach by certifying that the vehicles covered comply with important ecological and economical criteria: - Ecological because the environmental impact of such vehicles is kept to a minimum when they are designed, manufactured and driven on the roads, as well as at the end of their useful life, - Economical because they are affordable and fuel-efficient. The new appellation reflects Renault’s commitment to proposing a range of vehicles that are easy both on the environment and on customers’ finances. Renault eco²: three verifiable, measurable criteria Renault sees the Renault eco² appellation as a means for its customers to measure the environmental performance of its vehicles. The line has been thought through based on three criteria that can be either certified (e.g. ISO 14001) or objectively measured, such as carbon emissions and the proportion of recycled plastics that goes into a vehicle's production. Noise pollution was not included because it is not defined by any globally accepted standard. However, Renault enjoys a true lead in this field, with many of its vehicles emitting 3dB (decibels) less than the EU standard of 74dB – a halving of noise levels. Vehicles qualify for Renault's eco² appellation if they comply with the three following requirements: - They must be manufactured in a production plant that has secured ISO 14001 certification. The independent International Standards Organisation (ISO) certifies that a facility complies with standard 14001 when it achieves continual improvement in reducing the impact of its activities on the environment. It includes, for example, water and energy consumption, visual and sound impact, and harmful emissions and wastewater discharges. In seven years, Renault has, for example, cut water consumption at its Sandouville plant in France three-fold. In 2006, 39 manufacturing facilities, accounting for more than 90% of Renault’s activity worldwide were ISO-14001-certified. Other group sites in Russia and Morocco are currently undergoing certification. - Their CO2 emissions must not exceed 140g/km or they must be able to run on E85 bioethanol or B30 biodiesel. Renault eco² vehicles emit low levels of CO2, the main culprit in global warming. It is possible to get below the 140g/km threshold (equivalent to fuel consumption of 5.3 litres/100km for diesels and 5.9 litres/100km for petrol engines) by using either specific technology (e.g. downsizing) or biofuels. The crops used to produce biofuels absorb CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow (part of the process of photosynthesis). E85 bioethanol can achieve CO2 gains of up to 70% over the so-called well-to-wheel cycle compared to the same model powered by conventional petrol. The figure is about 20% for B30 biodiesel. - At least 5% of the plastics used in their production must be made from recycled materials. Renault eco² end-of-life vehicles are designed to be 95% reusable by weight. Furthermore, Renault eco² vehicles contain over 5% of recycled plastic. For Clio III the proportion is nearly 10% (20kg) and for New Twingo 9% (15kg). Recycled plastic levels will increase further in the future line-up. At the time of its launch, the appellation will initially only apply to the Renault brand on European markets before being extended to markets in other parts of the world at a later date. Furthermore, Renault will strive to steadily raise standards by incorporating new achievements in environmental progress so that it constantly offers a line-up of ecological vehicles of the highest level. Downsizing is ecological and economical Downsizing conventional petrol and diesel engines continues to stand out as one of the most cost-effective ways of curbing fuel consumption and, thereby, greenhouse gas emissions. This is a field in which Renault excels and combines three benefits. It essentially involves reducing the cubic capacity of an engine without detracting from its performance thanks to the use of appropriate technology, e.g. the addition of a turbocharger or a switch to direct fuel injection. In other words, a 1.9-litre diesel engine with an output of 93hp has now been replaced by a more fuel-efficient, 1.5-litre turbocharged powerplant delivering 105hp. In 1993 a 93hp 1.9-litre Renault 19 DT could make the 748km journey from Paris to Montpellier in the south of France with an average fuel consumption of 6.5 litres/100km and 172g/km of CO2. Today, a 105hp Mégane 1.5 dCi can drive the 1,100km from Paris to Venice with average fuel consumption of 4.5 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 120g/km. Thanks to this sort of technological progress – combined with the mass production of a line-up with low emission levels – Renault has emerged as one of Europe’s three most CO2 efficient carmakers. The latest addition to Renault’s petrol engine line-up, the TCE 100, is a perfect example of the expertise it has acquired in this field. Although it delivers the 100hp of a 1.4 litre engine and torque (145Nm) worthy of a 1.6, the 1.2 litre engine that drives the Clio by Rip Curl boasts combined cycle fuel consumption of just 5.9 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 139g/km. Meanwhile, the combination of small-size with a low inertia turbocharger ensures that this engine is particularly responsive from low revs. Meanwhile, the turbocharger and its overpower function can supply short bursts of extra power in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears above 4,500rpm. Renault has given its diesel-engined vehicles the benefit of the same expertise. Powered by a 105hp 1.5 dCi equipped with particulate filter, Mégane emits just 120g/km of CO2, which put it at the top of the CO2 performance standings in its segment in Europe in 2005. This benchmark engine has also incorporated many leading edge technical innovations, including a multi-blade variable geometry turbocharger, piezoelectric multi-injection and a particulate filter with exhaust postinjection, etc. The new downsized engines that Renault develops enable it to balance ecological requirements like reduced pollutant and CO2 emissions with economical requirements such as low fuel consumption and affordability. Downsizing is fully in phase with the philosophy behind the Renault eco² appellation. An affordable line-up of vehicles powered by biofuels Renault also considers biofuels as one of the most effective ways of controlling CO2 emissions in the medium term. Biofuels are ecologically efficient because they are derived from vegetable matter – a renewable, diversified energy source - and also economically efficient because they require limited development costs and vehicles are affordable for most customers. Furthermore they reduce energy dependency on fossil fuels. The availability of a Mégane that can run on E85 bioethanol alongside its B30-biodiesel-powered light commercial vehicles reasserts Renault's commitment to biofuels. Indeed, Renault is one of the few automakers in Europe to offer its customers a biofuel double bill. In June 2007, Renault is due to launch a Mégane powered by a 105hp 1.6-litre 16V engine that runs on E85 bioethanol. It will be Renault’s first ethanol-fuelled vehicle in Europe. For such engines to run on both conventional fuels and biofuels, existing powerplants from the Renault line-up have been modified to enable them to adapt automatically to different fuel types. These changes principally concern the fuel tank, the injection system and the combustion chambers. To develop the ethanol-compatible Mégane, Renault drew on expertise acquired in Brazil where it has been commercializing flex-fuel Clio and Mégane models that burn E100 since 2004. At the end of 2006 Renault introduced 90hp and 115hp versions of the 2.0 dCi Trafic and 100hp and 120hp versions of the 2.5 dCi Master, both of which run on B30 biodiesel. Aimed chiefly at companies running their own fleets, these vehicles can function with equal ease on conventional diesel fuel or on blends of diesel with 30% biodiesel (B30). The first passenger cars to use biodiesel will appear in 2008. New Twingo, which was unveiled at the recent Geneva Motor Show, will be available with a B30-compatible 65hp 1.5 dCi powerplant. Meanwhile, Renault has been working for many years on second-generation fuels. These are obtained using the so-called Fischer Tropsch process from natural gas (Gas To Liquid), coal (Coal To Liquid) or biomass (Biomass To Liquid). Since March 2006, Renault has pooled its research efforts with those of DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen, Royal Dutch Shell and Sasol Chevron within the framework of the Alliance for Synthetic Fuels in Europe (ASFE). In 2006, as part of the Renault Commitment 2009 plan, Renault announced its intention to work on a broad selection of alternative technologies, including electric vehicles, hybrids and fuel cells. Such research work into environment-related technology is nothing new at Renault. As early as 1997 Renault unveiled Fever, the first research vehicle powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. More recently the Ellypse concept car incarnated Renault’s concern with designing cars as part of a sustainable development outlook. sursa: renault.com

renaulteco2jq6.jpg

Renault launches its 'Renault eco2' line of vehicles

An appellation for ecological, economical vehicles

. Renault introduces its new 'Renault eco²' appellation which is intended to inform customers about its commitment to offering ecological, economical vehicles as part of its contribution to safeguarding the environment. True to Renault’s ambitious policy of curbing the impact of its business on the environment, this new appellation guarantees the environmental credentials of the vehicles concerned during each phase of their lifecycle – manufacture, use and end-of-life management. Renault eco² vehicles meet three global environmental standards: they are produced in an ISO-14001-certified plant, their CO2 emissions do not exceed 140g/km (or are biofuel-compatible) and, in addition to being 95% reusable at the end of their life, at least 5% of the plastics they contain have been recycled.
. As well as being ecological, Renault eco² vehicles are economical to buy. Because they are affordable to the majority of customers, the progress they represent will lead to significant gains for the environment. Observable examples of Renault’s environmental commitment are downsized engines like the TCE 100hp engine, as well as biofuel-driven vehicles such as the E85 bioethanol Mégane and the B30 biodiesel Trafic and Master.
. The eco² line will initially apply to Renault brand vehicles only. However, Renault sees protection of the planet as a global challenge and will later extend the appellation to other regions of the world.
. The Renault eco² line is also seen as a means of highlighting the ongoing gains achieved in environmental matters, with standards becoming more and more stringent with a view to offering a line-up of vehicles that are increasingly ecological and economical.

The Renault eco2 line: a range of ecological, economical vehicles

With the framework of Renault Commitment 2009, the company has publicly stated its ambitious environmental objectives. They form part of Renault’s drive over the last ten years to curb the environmental effects of its activities at every stage in the life cycle of its vehicles – from manufacture to use and end-of-life product management. They also assert its determination to rise to the great ecological challenges by offering its customers here and now affordable technologies that can be applied to the majority of vehicles. Renault believes that by making its environmentally-friendly vehicles economical to buy and run it will increase the benefit they represent for the environment.
The Renault eco² appellation underpins Renault’s environmentally friendly approach by certifying that the vehicles covered comply with important ecological and economical criteria:
- Ecological because the environmental impact of such vehicles is kept to a minimum when they are designed, manufactured and driven on the roads, as well as at the end of their useful life,
- Economical because they are affordable and fuel-efficient.
The new appellation reflects Renault’s commitment to proposing a range of vehicles that are easy both on the environment and on customers’ finances.

Renault eco²: three verifiable, measurable criteria

Renault sees the Renault eco² appellation as a means for its customers to measure the environmental performance of its vehicles. The line has been thought through based on three criteria that can be either certified (e.g. ISO 14001) or objectively measured, such as carbon emissions and the proportion of recycled plastics that goes into a vehicle's production.
Noise pollution was not included because it is not defined by any globally accepted standard. However, Renault enjoys a true lead in this field, with many of its vehicles emitting 3dB (decibels) less than the EU standard of 74dB – a halving of noise levels.
Vehicles qualify for Renault's eco² appellation if they comply with the three following requirements:
- They must be manufactured in a production plant that has secured ISO 14001
certification. The independent International Standards Organisation (ISO) certifies that a facility complies with standard 14001 when it achieves continual improvement in reducing the impact of its activities on the environment. It includes, for example, water and energy consumption, visual and sound impact, and harmful emissions and wastewater discharges. In seven years, Renault has, for example, cut water consumption at its Sandouville plant in France three-fold. In 2006, 39 manufacturing facilities, accounting for more than 90% of Renault’s activity worldwide were ISO-14001-certified. Other group sites in Russia and Morocco are currently undergoing certification.
- Their CO2 emissions must not exceed 140g/km or they must be able to run on E85 bioethanol or B30 biodiesel. Renault eco² vehicles emit low levels of CO2, the main culprit in global warming. It is possible to get below the 140g/km threshold (equivalent to fuel consumption of 5.3 litres/100km for diesels and 5.9 litres/100km for petrol engines) by using either specific technology (e.g. downsizing) or biofuels. The crops used to produce biofuels absorb CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow (part of the process of photosynthesis). E85 bioethanol can achieve CO2 gains of up to 70% over the so-called well-to-wheel cycle compared to the same model powered by conventional petrol. The figure is about 20% for B30 biodiesel.
- At least 5% of the plastics used in their production must be made from recycled materials. Renault eco² end-of-life vehicles are designed to be 95% reusable by weight. Furthermore, Renault eco² vehicles contain over 5% of recycled plastic. For Clio III the proportion is nearly 10% (20kg) and for New Twingo 9% (15kg). Recycled plastic levels will increase further in the future line-up.
At the time of its launch, the appellation will initially only apply to the Renault brand on European markets before being extended to markets in other parts of the world at a later date. Furthermore, Renault will strive to steadily raise standards by incorporating new achievements in environmental progress so that it constantly offers a line-up of ecological vehicles of the highest level.

Downsizing is ecological and economical

Downsizing conventional petrol and diesel engines continues to stand out as one of the most cost-effective ways of curbing fuel consumption and, thereby, greenhouse gas emissions. This is a field in which Renault excels and combines three benefits. It essentially involves reducing the cubic capacity of an engine without detracting from its performance thanks to the use of appropriate technology, e.g. the addition of a turbocharger or a switch to direct fuel injection.
In other words, a 1.9-litre diesel engine with an output of 93hp has now been replaced by a more fuel-efficient, 1.5-litre turbocharged powerplant delivering 105hp. In 1993 a 93hp 1.9-litre Renault 19 DT could make the 748km journey from Paris to Montpellier in the south of France with an average fuel consumption of 6.5 litres/100km and 172g/km of CO2. Today, a 105hp Mégane 1.5 dCi can drive the 1,100km from Paris to Venice with average fuel consumption of 4.5 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 120g/km. Thanks to this sort of technological progress – combined with the mass production of a line-up with low emission levels – Renault has emerged as one of Europe’s three most CO2 efficient carmakers.
The latest addition to Renault’s petrol engine line-up, the TCE 100, is a perfect example of the expertise it has acquired in this field. Although it delivers the 100hp of a 1.4 litre engine and torque (145Nm) worthy of a 1.6, the 1.2 litre engine that drives the Clio by Rip Curl boasts combined cycle fuel consumption of just 5.9 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 139g/km. Meanwhile, the combination of small-size with a low inertia turbocharger ensures that this engine is particularly responsive from low revs. Meanwhile, the turbocharger and its overpower function can supply short bursts of extra power in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears above 4,500rpm.
Renault has given its diesel-engined vehicles the benefit of the same expertise. Powered by a 105hp 1.5 dCi equipped with particulate filter, Mégane emits just 120g/km of CO2, which put it at the top of the CO2 performance standings in its segment in Europe in 2005. This benchmark engine has also incorporated many leading edge technical innovations, including a multi-blade variable geometry turbocharger, piezoelectric multi-injection and a particulate filter with exhaust postinjection, etc.
The new downsized engines that Renault develops enable it to balance ecological requirements like reduced pollutant and CO2 emissions with economical requirements such as low fuel consumption and affordability. Downsizing is fully in phase with the philosophy behind the Renault eco² appellation.

An affordable line-up of vehicles powered by biofuels

Renault also considers biofuels as one of the most effective ways of controlling CO2 emissions in the medium term. Biofuels are ecologically efficient because they are derived from vegetable matter – a renewable, diversified energy source - and also economically efficient because they require limited development costs and vehicles are affordable for most customers. Furthermore they reduce energy dependency on fossil fuels.
The availability of a Mégane that can run on E85 bioethanol alongside its B30-biodiesel-powered light commercial vehicles reasserts Renault's commitment to biofuels. Indeed, Renault is one of the few automakers in Europe to offer its customers a biofuel double bill.
In June 2007, Renault is due to launch a Mégane powered by a 105hp 1.6-litre 16V engine that runs on E85 bioethanol. It will be Renault’s first ethanol-fuelled vehicle in Europe. For such engines to run on both conventional fuels and biofuels, existing powerplants from the Renault line-up have been modified to enable them to adapt automatically to different fuel types. These changes principally concern the fuel tank, the injection system and the combustion chambers. To develop the ethanol-compatible Mégane, Renault drew on expertise acquired in Brazil where it has been commercializing flex-fuel Clio and Mégane models that burn E100 since 2004.
At the end of 2006 Renault introduced 90hp and 115hp versions of the 2.0 dCi Trafic and 100hp and 120hp versions of the 2.5 dCi Master, both of which run on B30 biodiesel. Aimed chiefly at companies running their own fleets, these vehicles can function with equal ease on conventional diesel fuel or on blends of diesel with 30% biodiesel (B30). The first passenger cars to use biodiesel will appear in 2008. New Twingo, which was unveiled at the recent Geneva Motor Show, will be available with a B30-compatible 65hp 1.5 dCi powerplant.

Meanwhile, Renault has been working for many years on second-generation fuels. These are obtained using the so-called Fischer Tropsch process from natural gas (Gas To Liquid), coal (Coal To Liquid) or biomass (Biomass To Liquid). Since March 2006, Renault has pooled its research efforts with those of DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen, Royal Dutch Shell and Sasol Chevron within the framework of the Alliance for Synthetic Fuels in Europe (ASFE).
In 2006, as part of the Renault Commitment 2009 plan, Renault announced its intention to work on a broad selection of alternative technologies, including electric vehicles, hybrids and fuel cells. Such research work into environment-related technology is nothing new at Renault. As early as 1997 Renault unveiled Fever, the first research vehicle powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. More recently the Ellypse concept car incarnated Renault’s concern with designing cars as part of a sustainable development outlook.

sursa: renault.com

Appendices: biofuel and well-to-wheel

• Biofuels
Bioethanol is made by fermenting and distilling biomass – plant matter like wheat and beetroot in Europe, sugar cane in Brazil and corn in the USA. Bioethanol can then be mixed with petrol in varying proportions: 5% inclusion is E5, 10% is E10 and 85% is E85. Flex-fuel vehicles like Clio 1.6 16V Hi-Flex can burn neat bioethanol Biodiesel is an alkyl ester derived from vegetable oil. It is produced from oleaginous crops and plants (mainly rapeseed and sunflower in Europe, but also soya and palm oil in other parts of the world). Through a process known as transesterification, vegetable oil reacts with methanol to produce biodiesel that can then be mixed with straight diesel. When mixed with diesel at inclusion of 30%, biodiesel is called B30 Synthetic biodiesel (second-generation biofuel) is produced by the Fischer Tropsch process from natural gas (Gas To Liquid), coal (Coal To Liquid) or biomass (Biomass To Liquid). Renault is working on second-generation biofuels as part of the Alliance for Synthetic Fuels in Europe (ASFE) with DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen, Royal Dutch Shell and Sasol Chevron.

The well-to-wheel approach

To understand the advantages of biofuels over fossil fuels when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions, it is important to take a global, or well-to-wheel, overview. Well-towheel analysis rates the efficiency of a fuel by calculating its aggregate CO2 emissions from when it is produced to when it is burnt in a vehicle.
Fossil fuels are responsible for CO2 emissions during production (drilling and refinery), when they are shipped and when a vehicle burns them. Biofuels originate from the biomass - i.e. plants – that is grown to produce them. The CO2 absorbed by these plants as they grow (photosynthesis) is subtracted from the biofuel’s total CO2 emissions (including production, transport and use in the vehicle).
Because biofuels can be made from locally available biological matter, there is much less need to transport them to distribution facilities by road and sea, which in turn limits CO2 emissions.
The overall performance of biofuels is far more beneficial for the environment than that of fossil fuels. Total CO2 emissions produced by the biofuel chain are much lower than for conventional fossil fuels. Some biofuels can, depending on the material used to produce them, lead to reductions in CO2 emissions of 70% compared to a petrol engine. The equivalent saving for a biodiesel engine over a conventional diesel powerplant is approximately 20%.

sursa: renault.com

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sursa: renault.com

The environment at the heart of Renault plants

Every vehicle bearing the Renault eco2 signature is made in an ISO 14001 certified site

• At the end of 2006, 39 of the Renault Group's manufacturing, logistics and product/process design sites were ISO 14001 certified.
• For the last 10 years, Renault has been pursuing an ambitious policy to reduce the environmental impact of its activity at every stage of a vehicle's life cycle.
• The Renault eco2 signature underscores Renault’s commitment to offer vehicles that are environmentally friendly and affordable for our customers.

39 ISO 14001 certified sites: the fruit of 10 years of environmental management at our manufacturing sites

ISO 14001 certification is one of the three criteria that apply to the "Renault eco²" signature launched in 2007. The signature covers every stage of a vehicle's life cycle, from design to manufacturing, customer use and end of life. The other two criteria are CO2 emissions of less than 140 g/km or the use of biofuels and at least 5% of recycled plastic.
At the end of 2006, 39 Renault sites, accounting for more than 90% of the Group's activity, were ISO 14001 certified. Once the Avtoframos site in Moscow and the Somaca facility in Morocco have completed the certification process by the end of 2007 or in early 2008, all of the Group's industrial manufacturing plants will be ISO 14001 compliant. Sandouville was the first site to be ISO 14001 certified in December 1998.
The international standard ISO 14001 was published in 1996 to reduce the environmental impact of an activity, a product or a service. The certification is awarded by an independent organization (UTAC, SGS, AENOR in Spain, IRAM in Argentina) in recognition of the progress made by Renault since 1997 to control and reduce the impact of its activity on the environment by reducing water and energy consumption, noise, visual nuisances and discharges into the atmosphere and water.

The results achieved in the last 10 years are conclusive: The environmental management policy pursued at the Group's manufacturing sites since 1997 has achieved the following savings:
• 25% of energy consumption (kW/ vehicle),
• 57% of water consumption (m3/ vehicle),
• 65% of waste (kg/ vehicle),
• 38% of volatile organic compounds (kg/vehicle),
• 44% of toxic waste discharged into water.
These results have been achieved by implementing the same management process at all the sites.

An environmental management policy based on the Group-wide environmental network.
When Renault decided to train all of its manufacturing functions in ecological issues, it adopted a network organization. Headed by the Strategic Environmental Planning department, which reports directly to top management, Renault's environmental network represents 600 people from different functions and sites. This highly original management system, which operates using a cross-functional model, facilitates exchanges of information and skills between the network members. It also offers a means of deploying good environmental practices. The skills and actions of employees in the functions are strengthened by technical experts, specialised in each individual field (water, air, waste, health and safety, hygiene, management, legal affairs, audits, etc.). These experts are tasked with driving, assisting, advising and managing during the project design and implementation phases. They ensure that environmental issues and the prevention and management of industrial risks are factored into every stage of a manufacturing site's life cycle. Environmental targets are set right from the design phase of manufacturing processes. An environmental project manager is appointed for every new vehicle or powertrain project.

A coordinated, universal approach
Environmental management, which first emerged at the manufacturing sites, has gradually spread throughout all of the company’s functions: design, sales and support functions. The policy's strength is rooted in its systematic deployment at all the industrial sites. The goal of environmental management is to monitor and anticipate changes in national, community and international legislation applying to production and the reduction of environmental impacts. In this way, the sites can benefit from a coordinated approach.
For example, regulations governing emissions of volatile organic compounds have been harmonised on a Europe-wide scale. The coordinated management of risks in the field favours prevention, especially in high-risk situations (soils, chemicals, hazardous waste, etc.).
Renault adopts a three-step approach to each site: an initial environmental analysis, including elementary regulatory demands, quantification and prioritization of impacts according to the specific environment of the site and identification of targets for progress. Environmental performance is assessed on a regular basis by the entity's Management Committee in the shape of a qualitative and quantitative review.
Environmental protection and working conditions close to the workstation are an integral part of the Renault Production System (SPR). Environmental demands are met in three steps: first, engineering defines the conditions applying to the management of chemicals and the processing of waste. Then, the factory includes these conditions in the documents associated with every workstation and, finally, the operators are trained in the execution of the actions.

Staying one step ahead of demands
Renault's environmental policy in manufacturing goes beyond compliance with the ISO 14001 reference framework. The Group has also created its own audit reference system and the associated tools. Internal audits are a means of achieving continuous progress on the sites. The company has opted for joint audits that call on both environmental management and the functional experts at the sites. This method allows for numerous exchanges between the sites and helps to strengthen the skills and knowledge of employees. Internal auditors must follow between three and four weeks of training. At the end of 2006, 83 had been trained in internal audits worldwide.
The "Environmental and Risks Master Plan" was launched in 2002. The plan sets a 10-year target and the goals to be achieved by the vehicle projects or the changes made to systems in the factories. 31 factories currently use this tool, which has also been adopted by four product/process design facilities. Staying ahead of the demands means that technologies or solar-powered systems can be introduced, resulting in significant economic savings and a reduced impact of atmospheric pollution.

Tools working for the environment
Environmental management uses its own specific tools:
• Ecorisks: this cartographic management system has been used since 1997 to collect, store and use environmental data that help to identify the most significant impacts on the environment. The system assesses the potential dangers of facilities and sets the priorities in the action plans that are rolled out in the factories.
• Tennaxia is used to make sure that all applicable regulatory demands are met.
• Chimrisk is the single database used to manage chemical risks to both health and the environment throughout the Renault Group.

An initiative that is spreading to all players in the automotive industry
Suppliers represent 80% of the total manufacturing costs of a vehicle, so Renault cannot possible plan for sustainable development without involving its suppliers in its initiatives. Renault's supplier strategy is based on long-term relationships that enable suppliers to become involved right from the start of the projects to develop common languages and methods. Renault applies environmental criteria when selecting its suppliers (waste management, risk prevention, etc.). Renault expects its suppliers to pay close attention to environmental issues on their manufacturing sites and in the processes used to select and assess their own suppliers. Pilot supplier work hand in hand with Renault's experts to design production methods that are increasingly ecological and products that can be easily recycled.
Since 2004, Renault's Purchasing Division has been asking the Group's suppliers to strictly abide by directives applying to the control of risky substances contained in the parts supplied and to the reduction of packaging waste. The management of substances was introduced in 2000, especially for heavy metals.
A self-assessment tool was made available to suppliers in 2006 in an effort to remind them of Renault's social and environmental standards, to help them identify any problems or risks and to incite them to achieve progress through precise action plans. This tool is gradually being accompanied by checks made by Renault and audits conducted by third-party organizations on the supplier sites.
Following the example set by Renault, our main suppliers are committed to obtaining ISO 14001 certification for their production sites.
The criteria used to select our logistics suppliers include indicators of pollutant emissions caused by road transport. Any opportunity to switch between road, rail and river transport at the same cost and a better environmental performance is given serious consideration.

Transparent communications
Renault makes its environmental data available to the general public. Since financial year 2002, Renault has included non-financial information on sustainable development in its reference document. Since 1999, this information has been verified by the Group's statutory auditors.
In 2006, three non-financial rating agents - Vigéo, SAM and Oekom – placed Renault amongst the top automobile manufacturers in terms of sustainable development. Oekom Research, a group of independent analysts that is highly influential in Germany, concluded that, out of 17 automobile manufacturers, Renault achieved the best performance. The rating includes environmental (60%) and social and cultural data (40%).
The Group's manufacturing sites have also committed to publishing their own environmental declarations.
Based on the actions taken and the results achieved, the declarations will achieve greater clarity and fuel exchanges between sites, employees and local players, including neighborhood associations, local authorities, etc. In 2007, 100% of the ISO 14001 certified sites will publish an environmental declaration.
The factories also take local initiatives to increase awareness. By way of example, every year the Novo Mesto factory in Slovenia organizes an environmental tour of the site.

sursa: renault.com

CONTINUES TO ROLL OUT A LINE-UP OF

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, AFFORDABLE VEHICLES

As part of Renault Commitment 2009, Renault has set itself an ambitious greenhouse gas reduction plan. It rests on three major objectives: to be one of the three most CO2-efficient automakers in the world, to line up a range of biofuel-powered vehicles, and to develop a spectrum of alternative technologies.
Renault first began acting on its commitment in early 2007, which saw the market launches of models that could run on E85 ethanol and B30 biodiesel biofuels and the advent of a downsized powertrain – the 100hp TCE petrol engine. It kept up the momentum with the spring 2007 launch of “Renault eco²”, a symbol that attests to a Renault car’s ecological, economical credentials.

This focus shows Renault has prioritized technologies that are environmentallyfriendly and affordably priced: the more of its cars are available, the more affordable they become, and the greater the gains for the environment.

In early 2006, as part of Renault Commitment 2009, Renault pledged to sharply reduce the CO2 emissions of its line-up to help in the fight against the greenhouse effect. To that end, it set three major objectives.

• To be one of the three most CO2-efficient automakers in the world. By 2008 Renault aims to be selling one million vehicles in Europe emitting less than 140g/km of CO2, onethird of which will emit less than 120g/km.
• To line up a range of vehicles that run on biofuels. By 2009, 50% of petrol engines on sale in Europe will be able to run on blends of petrol and ethanol. By the same year all diesel-powered vehicles will have the capacity to use fuel blends with 30% biodiesel inclusion.
• To prepare a full spectrum of alternative technologies. Within the framework of the Alliance, Renault is preparing a full spectrum of alternative technologies such as hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and fuel cells.

In May 2007 Renault launched the final component of its environmental commitment with the introduction of “Renault eco2”, an environmental label that certifies its vehicles as ecological and economical. It springs from Renault’s drive over the last ten years to curb the effects its activities have on the environment at every stage in the life cycle of its vehicles – from manufacture to use and end-of-life product management. Renault is now rolling out Renault eco² across its range.

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sursa: renault.com