Major electronics maker Sharp Corp. says the amount of greenhouse gases it emitted as a result of corporate activities fell about 6 percent in fiscal 2008 from the previous year.
It was the first such fall since fiscal 2004, although the decline was partly because of a slowdown in manufacturing due to the economic slump, it said.
Its greenhouse gas emissions came to 1.7 million tons in the year that ended in March.
The Osaka-based company also estimated that use by consumers of Sharp’s solar cells and other energy-saving products was responsible for a reduction of 1.97 million tons in greenhouse gas emissions during the year, up about 30 percent.
It was the first time the company has reported that the amount of emissions from its factories was less than the amount saved by its products.
In fiscal 2004, the company set a goal of having its contribution to reducing emissions exceed the amount of its own emissions by the end of fiscal 2010.
In fiscal 2007, Sharp emitted 1.8 million tons of greenhouse gases while putting the amount of emissions saved at 1.51 million tons.
Sharp said it wants to see saved emissions more than double its corporate emissions in fiscal 2012.
The company said that goal can be achieved by reducing the electrical power consumption of flat-panel televisions and improving the energy conversion efficiency of solar cells.
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