Arla Foods Pioneers Carbon Reduction with New Electric Boiler

Arla Foods Ingredients has taken a major step forward in its carbon reduction efforts by installing a new electric boiler at its largest production site.

The innovative boiler, located at Danmark Protein’s whey processing facility in Videbaek, Denmark, is projected to decrease annual CO2e emissions by approximately 3,500 tonnes once fully operational.

Arla Foods Ingredients continues to transition from gas to renewable electricity as part of its ambitious sustainability strategy. The company aims for all its European plants to operate on 100% renewable electricity by the end of 2025. This move follows a significant €32 million investment in an electric heat pump facility, expected to be operational this year.

The newly installed boiler, housed in a former gas turbine building, will produce the steam needed for the high-temperature spray-drying towers used in whey ingredient production. With a 16-megawatt capacity, it replaces two gas boilers, equating to the power consumption of 8,000 domestic kettles.

Arla Foods Ingredients’ initiatives align with its parent company’s climate objectives, which target a 63% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, as approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

Thomas Lauritsen, Global Sustainability Manager at Arla Foods Ingredients, emphasized the importance of electrifying energy-intensive processes as a pivotal strategy to meet climate goals and growing demand.

This installation underscores Arla’s commitment to phasing out natural gas in its energy production, with future expansions of electric boiler technology envisioned for other sites.