A new analysis shows that upgrading existing production equipment could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from dairies by almost half – and the technology is already available on the market.
According to a new analysis by Tetra Pak, independently reviewed by Carbon Trust, modernising existing production lines could cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 49 per cent – without investment in entirely new facilities.
This is the finding of the Dairy Processing Impact Assessment, commissioned by Tetra Pak. The analysis shows that upgrades based on technology already available on the market could reduce water consumption by up to 45 per cent and product losses by up to 57 per cent, depending on line type.
The global dairy sector accounts for around 2.7 per cent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Were the modernisations rolled out globally, the analysis estimates a combined reduction of up to 12.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per year – a volume equivalent to permanently removing around three million vehicles from the road.
Solutions already exist
The analysis points to a range of technologies, from heat pumps and integrated process technologies to filtration and recovery systems. In the area of CIP – automated cleaning of production lines – it highlights solutions capable of recovering both water and product residues from the cleaning process itself. The global potential for water savings from that category of solutions alone is estimated at 455 million cubic metres per year.
“The dairy industry is under pressure from both climate requirements and rising resource costs. What is remarkable about this study is that the solutions are not hypothetical – they exist, they are available, and they can be installed in existing lines today,” says Peter Fover, Sales Manager for Process Solutions in the Nordics and Baltics at Tetra Pak, according to Fødevarefokus.
Carbon Trust emphasises that precise measurement of emissions savings is essential to scaling climate solutions in the food industry, as quantifiable results make it easier for companies and policymakers to compare and prioritise climate investments.
By Maja Løvstrup
Source: Fødevarefokus
Photo: Crystal Kwok/Unsplash
