LG Energy Solution's factories to go 100% renewable by 2025

LG Energy Solution employees pose for a photo with its ESG report. [LG ENERGY SOLUTION]

LG Energy Solution will run all of its global production facilities only on renewable energy by 2025.

This is an attempt to achieve the goals of the RE100 initiatives it joined last year, the Korean battery maker said in the latest environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) report on Wednesday.

All of its battery production facilities in Korea, China, Poland and the United States will operate on 100 percent renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, starting in 2025. The Korean battery maker currently operates six plants globally — one in Korea, three in China, one in Poland and one in Michigan, United States.

The five under-construction plants in Indonesia, Canada and the United States will be built applying RE100 principle in the first place.

Around 33 percent of its facilities are operated on renewable energy so far, according to the company. It aims to increase the figure by 60 percent by the end of the year, and 100 percent by 2025.

All non-production facilities will also be shifted by the end of 2030, with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by the end of 2050.

LG Energy Solution joined the RE100 in April last year, as the first Korean battery maker to do so.

RE100, short for Renewable Energy 100 percent, was started in 2014 by The Climate Group in partnership with the Carbon Disclosure Project. The goal is to encourage global corporations to run on 100 percent renewable electricity by 2050. As of June, some 370 corporations worldwide have joined the campaign, including Apple, Google, Microsoft and General Motors.

“The battery, by nature, is closely related to the concept of eco-friendliness, and is a key driver to sustainable life and a core industry of the future,” said LG Energy Solution CEO Kwon Young-soo. “Going a step further from carbon neutrality, we will pursue ‘Carbon Negative’ as our ultimate goal in all aspects of management and commit our best efforts to demonstrate our leadership in countering global climate change.”

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]