DHL opens its first carbon-neutral warehouse in the UK

DHL Supply Chain opened a carbon-neutral warehouse last week in Coventry, England, powered entirely by renewable electricity. The German forwarder’s first operationally carbon-neutral facility in the U.K. “is in keeping with DHL’s carbon-neutral building framework and sustainability road map,” a DHL spokesperson told Air Cargo Next . “By the end of 2025, all of DHL Supply Chain’s warehouses will be operationally carbon neutral.” [caption id="attachment_57141927" align="alignright" width="412"] DHL Supply Chain opened a 900,000-square-foot warehouse in Coventry, England, on March 14. (Courtesy/DHL)[/caption] The company did not disclose the cost of the warehouse, which opened March 14, to Air Cargo Next . DHL’s sustainability framework, according to the company, includes goals to: Increase its share of green electricity to more than 90% globally by 2030 and directly procure energy from sustainable sources; Use sustainable energy sources for heating in more than 50% of DHL buildings by 2030; Convert locally produced electricity from renewable sources into fuel for DHL’s electrified fleet; and Use digitalization and intelligent building management systems to further reduce energy consumption. The new multifunctional 900,000-square-foot warehouse in Coventry will integrate mobile wrapping robots and autonomous cleaning robots, according to a release from DHL. “The wrapping robots boost the stretch-wrapping process, decrease potential product damage, save on film waste and are capable of wrapping loads of a range of shapes and sizes,” the spokesperson said. “Both the wrapping robots and cleaning robots free up operator time to focus on more rewarding tasks.” The facility uses an air-source heat pump for heating and cooling warehouse and office space, according to the release . This power system will produce 135 tonnes less carbon dioxide annually than a gas-powered system and has 3,000 solar panels “supported by a custom onsite battery storage system developed by DHL’s in-house digital manufacturing team,” according to the release. Coventry is a key U.K. location for DHL, the spokesperson said. “Coventry’s location makes it a gateway to the rest of the country,” the spokesperson said. “Ninety percent of U.K. postcodes can be reached within four hours, so it’s ideally situated.” Reaching net zero The site also includes 30 electric vehicle charging spaces and uses all-electric material handling equipment, as well as an electric tug, the release stated. DHL Express UK in February invested $20 million in 100 pieces of electric ground equipment at its air hub at East Midlands Airport (EMA) in line with its goal to become fully electric by 2032. IATA set a sustainability initiative in 2021 for the industry to reach net zero by 2050. Numerous carriers and forwarders have committed to this target and plan to use sustainable aviation fuel , automation and electric ground equipment to do so. “DHL Group has been at the cusp of trends that have been reshaping our industry — the ebbs and flows of global trade, the ongoing rise of e-commerce, [and] an increased focus on sustainability and digitalization,” DHL Group Chief Executive Tobias Meyer previously told Air Cargo Next . Register here for Air Cargo Next ’s free webinar, “The Role of Drones in the Future of Air Cargo,” on Tuesday, March 26, at 11 a.m. ET.

DHL opens its first carbon-neutral warehouse in the UK

DHL opens its first carbon-neutral warehouse in the UK

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