Imagine the energy needed to drive a car around th e globe 4,300 times - over 100 million miles. That’s how much energy we save each year by using methane gas from the local landfill at our Spartanburg plant instead of natural gas. As a result, the atmosphere is spared thousands of tons of greenhouse gases – 17,000 tons to be exact.

Ever since we started construction on our Spartanburg plant in 1993, our plan consisted of the efficient cogeneration of electricity and hot water. Specifically, our plan called for building a 9.5-mile pipeline from the Palmetto Landfill to our facility where we build the BMW Z4 and the BMW X5. The recycled methane gas that we get as a result of this pipeline not only provides energy for 50% of the plant’s total energy, but it also helps us reduce energy costs.

While we’re proud of our energy savings at Spartanburg, we know they’re just part of the larger picture. BMW’s global production network has reduced CO2 emissions by 30% in the last 10 years, for example, and we continue making inroads in such important places as hydrogen technology.

We believe in doing things differently at BMW, and we believe that includes committing to sustainable business practices. And, as an independent company, we have the power of putting our money where our mouth is in order to share our beliefs with the world.