Revolutionizing Dairy Production: Lactalis Unveils France's Largest Solar Thermal Power Plant
Source: The DairyNews
Lactalis, in collaboration with renewable heat supplier Newheat, has inaugurated France's largest solar thermal power plant, a monumental stride towards sustainable energy in dairy production.
Covering a vast 15,000 m², this solar facility is poised to supply heat to Lactalis' dairy factory for the next quarter-century. Anticipated to curtail the site's drying tower CO2 emissions by an impressive 2000 tons annually—equivalent to 7% of total emissions—this groundbreaking project signals a paradigm shift in the widespread integration of solar heat within the Food & Beverage sector.
The initiative addresses the pressing need to decarbonize heat, a sector responsible for 45% of France's final energy requirements, with 60% currently derived from fossil fuels. In turn, this move aligns with the broader national mission to decarbonize the energy mix, fostering energy independence.
Reflecting on Lactalis' pioneering role, Hugues Defreville, President and Co-founder of Newheat, notes the company's forward-thinking stance since 2020 when the Verdun site first embraced solar heat for its drying tower. Defreville anticipates this development will influence other dairy manufacturers to adopt solar energy for their decarbonization ventures.
The Verdun site, renowned for its annual production capacity of 75,000 tons, transforms liquid whey into whey powder, a vital ingredient in the food industry. Post-renovations in 2021, a new drying tower commenced operations, initially fueled by a gas boiler. Lactalis, armed with €45 million, steered its commitment towards reducing the carbon footprint at its industrial sites, making a strategic choice for renewable heat with solar thermal energy as the centerpiece.
The Lactosol solar thermal power plant, adjacent to the Verdun site, is now operational, utilizing a 3,000 m² storage tank for uninterrupted heat supply, even during the night or on cloudy days. This innovative project is a beacon for sustainable practices, expected to diminish the site's gas consumption by 6%, corresponding to 11% of the total consumption of the drying tower. In tandem with these efforts, the installation of a biomass boiler by 2026 will further replace nearly 50% of gas consumption with renewable energy, showcasing Lactalis' unwavering commitment to environmentally conscious dairy production.
The initiative addresses the pressing need to decarbonize heat, a sector responsible for 45% of France's final energy requirements, with 60% currently derived from fossil fuels. In turn, this move aligns with the broader national mission to decarbonize the energy mix, fostering energy independence.
Reflecting on Lactalis' pioneering role, Hugues Defreville, President and Co-founder of Newheat, notes the company's forward-thinking stance since 2020 when the Verdun site first embraced solar heat for its drying tower. Defreville anticipates this development will influence other dairy manufacturers to adopt solar energy for their decarbonization ventures.
The Verdun site, renowned for its annual production capacity of 75,000 tons, transforms liquid whey into whey powder, a vital ingredient in the food industry. Post-renovations in 2021, a new drying tower commenced operations, initially fueled by a gas boiler. Lactalis, armed with €45 million, steered its commitment towards reducing the carbon footprint at its industrial sites, making a strategic choice for renewable heat with solar thermal energy as the centerpiece.
The Lactosol solar thermal power plant, adjacent to the Verdun site, is now operational, utilizing a 3,000 m² storage tank for uninterrupted heat supply, even during the night or on cloudy days. This innovative project is a beacon for sustainable practices, expected to diminish the site's gas consumption by 6%, corresponding to 11% of the total consumption of the drying tower. In tandem with these efforts, the installation of a biomass boiler by 2026 will further replace nearly 50% of gas consumption with renewable energy, showcasing Lactalis' unwavering commitment to environmentally conscious dairy production.
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