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At a glance
Who: Tetra Pak and Absolicon
What: Renewable thermal supply for UHT equipment
Where: Initially in Europe, with plans for global implementation
Why: To reduce fossil fuel usage and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
When: Forecasted installations to begin in 2024, with global scaling thereafter
The challenge
The food and beverage sector faces a challenge due to its heavy reliance on thermal energy, a significant portion of its energy consumption. This reliance stems from the use of traditional fossil fuel-powered boilers to generate heat for equipment within food production plants, contributing to carbon emissions and environmental concerns.
In 2019, the UK’s food & beverage industry’s carbon footprint amounted to 165 million tonnes of emissions, representing 21% of the nation’s total carbon footprint.
Tetra Pak, a food processing and packaging solutions company, also encounters this challenge due to its interconnected dependence on thermal energy, fossil fuel boilers and resulting carbon emissions, highlighting the pressing necessity for sustainable solutions within its strategy.
The solution
In food production, where two-thirds of energy consumption is thermal and one-third is electricity, solar thermal energy fits perfectly due to its suitability for low to medium temperature needs. Absolicon’s solar thermal power modules (STPM) will offer scalable and renewable heating, reducing fossil fuel usage by up to 40% in Tetra Pak’s UHT process while aligning with its sustainability goals.
How the project works
Absolicon’s solar thermal modules harness solar energy to heat Tetra Pak’s UHT equipment, replacing conventional fossil fuel-based systems. The collaboration includes a power purchase agreement outlining financial terms and cooperation scopes. The first module installation is expected in Europe in 2024, with subsequent expansion to a global market.
The results
Tetra Pak anticipates the solar thermal modules to deliver a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to using boilers powered by fossil fuels.
Business benefits
The integration of Absolicon’s solar thermal modules (STPM) by Tetra Pak offers several business benefits. By leveraging solar energy instead of relying solely on fossil fuels for heating equipment in its UHT processing lines, Tetra Pak stands to cut energy costs while reducing carbon emissions.
With the number of corporate net-zero targets having risen by more than 40% in the past 16 months, this adoption positions Tetra Pak as an industry leader, appealing to eco-conscious consumers and potentially attracting new customers.
Additionally, with more than 135,000 processing units in operation and annual deliveries exceeding 3,000 units, adopting Absolicon’s STPM could lead to operational efficiencies and cost savings across Tetra Pak’s extensive global operations.
Investment/savings
Revenue streams will go to Absolicon or its production partner when Tetra Pak sells a solar thermal module to an existing or new customer with a UHT line. While specific cost and ROI figures are not provided, the investment aligns with Tetra Pak’s broader sustainability strategy.
Industry context
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), heat generation accounts for 40% of the world’s total CO2 emissions.
With thermal energy accounting for a substantial portion of global CO2 emissions, the adoption of renewable alternatives, such as solar thermal technology, presents a considerable opportunity for emission reduction across industries.
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