Arla Foods Ingredients has achieved CO2 savings of around 60,000 tons a year by using energy from biogas.
Arla Foods Ingredients has received methane from a biogas plant since 2019. The biomass it processes primarily comprises manure from Arla farms, as well as production waste.
At each of the company’s two largest production plants, there are two 4000 horsepower biogas engines. They convert the methane into over 50 GWh of electricity each year – equivalent to the amount used by 11,600 households.
In 2019, CO2 emissions from the two plants totalled 105,000 tons. Without the use of biogas, they would have emitted 167,000. A similar saving is forecast for 2020, despite increased production.
Now greener sources such as biogas supply over 30% of the energy needs of the company’s production facilities in Denmark.
Henrik Andersen, CEO at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “Sustainability is part of our DNA. Arla Foods Ingredients has always been an example of a circular economy because we convert whey, which used to be considered waste, into high-value food and nutrition products. Now we’re taking new steps to reduce our carbon footprint and help protect the environment for future generations. Reducing our use of fossil fuels and investing in greener energy sources such as biogas is an essential element of this ambition.”
Arla Foods Ingredients also offers a dry blend lactose to helps infant formula manufacturers reduce their energy usage.
Lactose is usually supplied in a wet blend which has to be heat-treated and spray-dried before packaging – a highly energy-intensive process. To support more sustainable production, Arla Foods Ingredients offers a dry blend version which can be added after the other ingredients have been mixed.
Because manufacturers do not need to dissolve the blend and spray-dry it again, they can reduce their CO2 emissions by as much as 25% – or up to 150kg of CO2per ton of finished product, Arla says.
Furthermore, the quality and food safety requirements for dry blend lactose are among the most rigorous in the industry, leading to consistent high standards across production batches.
Henrik Andersen said: “Like us, our customers are increasingly focused on becoming more energy-efficient, and the use of dry blend lactose is a great way for formula manufacturers to reduce their emissions. By increasing the amount we’re able to offer them, we hope to help them meet their sustainability goals, as well as guaranteeing consistent quality.”
