Minimizing Indirect Emissions at
Schnitzer’s Operations
Green Power Partnerships
In fiscal 2021, for the first time in our Company’s history, we achieved 100% net carbon-free electricity at our operating facilities. In 2022, we maintained this achievement, in part by continuing our participation in community-focused green power purchase programs. To further address our Scope 2 emissions, we prioritized on-site energy efficiency upgrades to relevant technologies, vehicles, and equipment, and continued to expand implementation of carbon-free energy options. In fiscal 2022, 91% of electricity used at our facilities came from utility green power. The remaining 9% of our electricity usage is offset by the purchase of renewable energy credits.1
- Through the City of Tacoma’s Public Utilities Evergreen Options Program, we source electricity to power Schnitzer’s Tacoma operation from majority carbon-free hydroelectricity. Our participation actively strengthens local grid stability and resiliency and supports regional development of affordable power from renewable, carbon-free, or low-carbon sources.
- In May of 2022, the US EPA recognized our Oakland, California metals recycling facility as part of the Agency’s Green Power Partnership, which acknowledges organizations that choose to use green power or renewable electricity with environmental benefits above state or local requirements. Our Oakland operation, which houses one of our seven metal shredders, uses more than 18.6 million kilowatt-hours of green power annually – enough to power 1,700 homes for a year. Our Pick-n-Pull stores in Oakland and Newark, CA have also been recognized through the Green Power Partnership.
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Schnitzer’s steel manufacturing operation requires an average of 880 MWh/day to process, melt and manufacture approximately 1,200 metric tons of recycled metals into finished steel products. By using primarily carbon-free hydroelectricity generated by the Columbia River Dam System to power our facility, we greatly reduce the environmental impacts of our operations and the overall carbon intensity of our finished steel products.
1 Purchase costs of fiscal 2022 renewable energy credits are immaterial.
Understanding Our Energy & Power Impacts
Our Energy Mix
(in percent)
- 46% Electricity
- 31% Natural gas
- 23% Low-carbon fuels
Net carbon-free
Our Power Mix
(in percent)
- 74% Hydro
- 16% Other carbon-free sources1
- 10% Nuclear
1 Carbon-free sources reflect non-combustion power generation such as wind, solar, and geothermal.
2 Data represents our emissions footprint for recycling operations, including FY2022 acquisitions.
Our Emissions Footprint2
(mtC02e/mt)
Fleet Efficiency & Alternative Fuel Management
Advancing the use of alternative fuels and increasing the efficiency of our fleet represent significant opportunities to reduce emissions across our operations.
Since 2019, we have invested more than $67 million to upgrade frontline equipment, such as tractors, material handlers, loaders, dump trucks, and forklifts, and have increased our use of biodiesel and renewable diesel, where feasible. Made from renewable materials such as cooking oils and waste fats from the restaurant industry, renewable diesel can reduce GHG emissions by up to 75% over its lifecycle when compared to fossil diesel.
In 2022, Schnitzer was awarded a grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). Grant funds will support the purchase of four all-electric vehicles at our California facilities, replacing diesel-fueled tractors.
Fleet Fuel Use
(in percent of total GJs of fuel)
- 76% Off-Road Fleet
- 24% On-Road Fleet
Alternative Fuel Use in Fleet & Equipment
(in percent of total GJs of fuel)
