Danone has announced the commissioning of its biomass boiler at the company’s spray drying plant in Balclutha. Combined with the use of renewable electricity, the plant’s CO2 emissions will be reduced by 95 percent. It will be the country’s first dairy spray drying plant powered exclusively by biomass fuel.
The plant processes fresh milk sourced from twenty local farms, turning it into a powder that is used as the base for leading baby formula brands, including Aptamil and Karicare.
Boilers play a central role in spray drying – the process of converting milk into a dry powder through the application of heat – with around 85 percent of the entire plant’s energy consumption coming from steam production. Unlike gas or the more common coal powered fossil fuel boilers in New Zealand, Danone’s biomass boiler is powered by locally-sourced wood residues from sustainably-managed forests, supplying the plant with indigenous, renewable energy. The biomass project forms part of Danone’s landmark global Re-Fuel energy excellence program, with an ambition to transition to competitive, resilient, and renewable sources of energy.
“This is a significant investment for Danone and one that underscores our belief that in order to produce healthy food, we must have a healthy planet. This has not been a simple project for us, especially with the impact of COVID, however, it is symbolic of the action required for businesses to contribute in an impactful way in order to realise a low-emissions, climate-resilient future for New Zealand,” said Steve Donnelly, Danone’s New Zealand Operations Director.
