September 7, 2010

UK dairy sector rises to energy-saving challenge

The Carbon Trust is offering a co-funding to dairy producers, equipment suppliers and technology providers in an industry challenge to develop new energy efficient processes.

The organisation, in partnership with Dairy UK, is inviting consortia to submit proposals to deploy less energy-hungry and lower carbon technologies for clean-in-place (CIP) and homogenisation.

The invitation comes as part of the Carbon Trust's Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA) - a GBP15-million (US$23-million) programme that aims to generate a step change in reducing energy use and carbon emissions in British industry.

An initial phase to monitor energy use at dairy production sites has already taken place in collaboration with Robert Wiseman Dairies, Arla, Dairy Crest, BV Dairy, and Glanbia Cheese.

As a result, CIP and homogenisation have been identified as two key processes where the demonstration and deployment of new technologies could significantly reduce energy use, operating costs and carbon emissions.

"Carbon emissions from clean-in-place in dairy are up to 46,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum and could account for as much as 5% of the sector's total emissions. Similarly, homogenisation is a very energy intensive process where alternatives could bring real cost and carbon savings," said Al-Karim Govindji, Technology Acceleration Manager at the Carbon Trust.

"The IEEA is designed to catalyse change by demonstrating new, lower-carbon technical solutions that can then be replicated widely across the dairy sector."

The Carbon Trust will provide up to £500,000 per project to fund a maximum of 60% of project costs, depending on State Aid rules for the project type and size of company, as well as value for money considerations.

Ann Lovering, Group Environmental Manager, Dairy Crest, said, "Through participation in the IEEA we are keen to learn of emerging and future technologies with potential to reduce our environmental impacts and help achieve our carbon reduction targets. Carbon Trust assistance will aid in acceleration of trialling and funding of technologies which may not otherwise be currently viable."

The call for proposals is open from September 21, 2010 to November 22, 2010.