Boost competitiveness and reduce energy spend with efficient energy management

THE BRITISH Retail Consortium found that 88% of customers want brands to help them live sustainably. Their ambition is to achieve a net zero retail industry by 2040, emphasising Scope 3 emissions - tasking manufacturers and the supply chain to address these. Similarly, the Food and Drink Federation, representing manufacturers, are aiming for a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030, with the goal of achieving net zero by 2040. For both industry bodies, this puts food and drink net zero targets a decade ahead of the overall UK deadline.

Scope 3 emissions

Scope 3 emissions are critical across food and drink manufacturing, where customers - particularly the big four supermarkets - have made significant inroads in addressing their Scope 1 and 2 emissions. And so, attention has turned to the supply chain. Tesco are seeking measurable improvements in sustainability from manufacturers looking to retain contracts, and Asda are prioritising low-carbon suppliers. By 2030, Morrisons intend to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 30%, while Sainsbury’s are aiming for more than a 50% reduction in Scope 3 across energy, industry, and transport within the same timeframe.

Analysis-paralysis can set in, where manufacturers may not know where to start on their own sustainability journey or how to show they are meeting customer demands. 

The Carbon Trust recognises this: "Your business cannot do everything at once. Focus first on the areas that can drive the greatest impact, based on a rigorous assessment of the risks and opportunities for your business, and take action there.” Reviewing your existing energy management infrastructure can prove a valuable starting point: comparing the cost of upgrading existing, or purchasing new, assets alongside the cost-savings and additional benefits this approach can offer.

Modern amorphous core transformers

Many businesses already incorporate transformers as a critical energy management asset, to step-up or step-down incoming power for usable on-site energy demand.  But the UK’s transformer fleet averages 60 years’ old as compared to the operational lifespan which is estimated at 20 to 30 years. Transformer failure can be particularly costly for food manufacturing where perishable ingredients mean significant wastage and loss of product, and where delivery schedules are often tight.  Relying on an old, inefficient, transformer adds unnecessary energy spend, while adding to your own Scope 2 and your customers’ Scope 3 emissions. 

Upgrading to a modern amorphous core transformer can lower energy spend through more efficient performance. Compared to traditional CRGO models, investing in modern transformer technology can lower core losses during transmission by up to 70%. 

With greater than 99% efficiency, low-loss transformers minimise CO2 levels, helping to meet decarbonisation targets. For Quorn Foods, who have a clear commitment to decarbonisation actioned through their Supply Chain Sustainability Strategy, Powerstar identified two incoming supplies where transformer upgrades could prove beneficial.  Installation of two amorphous core transformers, with dynamic Voltage Optimisation, have led to 10.2% annual energy spend savings, together with reductions of 365t of CO2 emissions per annum. 

Voltage Optimisation

The National Grid supplies power averaging 248V, but most UK equipment operates at 220V, and where overvoltage to a site occurs this means wasted energy, unnecessary spend, and wear and tear on vital equipment. As food and drink manufacturing is becoming increasingly automated, this is a growing concern: automation generally means higher energy consumption, and investment in plant and machinery requires a return on investment whereby energy costs and potential for unnecessary downtime are of paramount importance. Stabilising your incoming power supply, through VO, helps address customers’ Scope 3 emissions by reducing your own energy usage and energy spend. Modern, dynamic VO can provide real-time, remote monitoring, where site consumption can be logged and used to enhance resource efficiency.

Businesses generally see a return on investment in VO from 12 to 30 months after installation.  For food and drink manufacture - one of the most energy-intensive sectors - cost and energy savings are often substantial. When Gunstones Bakery approached Powerstar, VO was recommended to manage their unstable and high incoming voltage. The new units have reduced energy consumption by more than 8,000kWh, a saving of 13% per tonne of product from the facility.

Precision equipment requires a stable voltage. Any fluctuations in  power supply can have significant impact. Where companies invest in VO, this helps ensure reliability that is particularly crucial during the energy transition, where disruptions to supply become more likely and we shift to a more decentralised model.

The energy transition for food and drink manufacture

Cost-effective, resilient and sustainable power is critical to the UK’s energy transition. End consumers and retail customers demand evidence of a commitment to sustainability. While this can be challenging, those manufacturers who embrace modern energy management technologies to meet these agendas can gain a significant competitive edge.  Reduced energy usage helps lower costs and emissions, for greater competitiveness where profits are increasingly squeezed. And, where competition for contracts with retail customers is high, signalling a commitment to lowering your own emissions, and their Scope 3 emissions, can be a critical point of differentiation for contract renewals and competitive tenders.

James Hampshire is principal engineer at Powerstar 

For more information: 

www.powerstar.com   

Tel: 0114 257 6200