Energy

Energy consumption is also the factor on which Brembo must focus its commitment to achieve its net zero operating model target. Therefore, in line with the indications of the global scientific community, Brembo's policy is to maximise efficiency in the use of energy while reducing consumption wherever possible and keeping emissions to a minimum. In order to minimise the environmental impact and improve energy performance, the strategy is aimed at reducing energy intensity and CO2 emissions due to production processes, while ensuring economically sustainable operations.

The improvement in energy performance is also intended to maintain and strengthen the Group's global competitiveness. Energy efficiency is therefore an integral part of Brembo's production system as it has an impact on the performance of production activities.

In order to reach these objectives, and in keeping with what has been set out in its Environment and Energy Policy, the Group has provided itself with an Energy Management System compliant with ISO 50001:2018, extending it gradually to an increasing number of sites.

The key points of the Group’s energy-related strategy are:
• measurement and reporting of site energy uses and CO2equivalent emissions;
• audit and review of the performance of the Energy Management System;
• setting of targets for reducing energy intensity and CO2equivalent emissions;
• identification and implementation of energy efficiency improvement projects;
• intelligent system planning aimed at minimising energy waste;
• constant research and evaluation of new solutions for energy self-production;
• constant commitment to in-house research into new production processes and optimisation of existing ones;
• constant search for opportunities for heat recovery and other forms of energy output from the processes.

To simplify the approach to managing environmental and energy matters at the Group's facilities, procedures for defining, analysing and monitoring energy performance indicators began to be revised in 2022.

When choosing energy sources, Brembo favours renewable energy sources over fossil fuels, on the one hand by pursuing in 2022 as well the commitment relating to renewable energy purchases, on the other by increasing its self-production capacity, including through the installation of photovoltaic panels.

In particular, the energy quota from renewable sources which the Group procured rose from 53% in 2021 to 69% in 2022. This result was achieved thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (Guarantee of Origin, I-RECs, RECs, etc.), PPAs (Power Purchasing Agreements) and other contractual agreements.

In relation to the capacity to self-generate energy from renewable sources, this activity is performed at the Italian sites. In 2022, work began for the installation of additional photovoltaic systems on the Mapello and Curno production hubs for a self-generation capacity expected to reach 3,500 kWp, able to exceed 3.5% of the energy needs of the hubs. In the coming years, Brembo has committed to increasing the share of self-produced energy also in other geographical areas at forthcoming facilities.

Brembo Energy Platform

With regard to energy efficiency, the actions taken to achieve these goals include, for example, adopting advanced monitoring systems (B.E.P. — Brembo Energy Platform), interconnected with the factory’s main utilities according to a smart factory approach, replacing obsolete systems with others using more efficient technologies, reducing waste (such as the search for and reduction of compressed air leakages, automatically shutting down systems or parts of systems during unproductive periods, etc.).

Overall, in 2022 Brembo's energy consumption amounted to just under 5.3 million GJ, with a 11% increase compared to 2021, as a result of a balance of resumption and growth of production activities — previously affected by production stoppages due to the pandemic — and energy efficiency projects.

This consumption is predominantly in the form of electrical energy, which continued to account for approx. 72% of total energy consumption, equivalent to more than 3,800,000 GJ, primarily used by the cast iron melting furnaces and secondarily by the mechanical processing systems and compressed air production systems used in the production processes. Natural gas consumption, primarily used in the aluminium melting processes, is equivalent to more than 1,100,000 GJ.