Optimising your food and beverage thermal system:

If you work in the food and beverage industry, the many challenges ahead will be familiar and, for many, daunting. Whilst it is a hugely diverse sector, there are themes that cut across these differences. A survey of more than 650 F&B companies¹ found two dominant issues. The number one concern, certainly for those in North America and EMEA, is that of economic uncertainty and rising inflation. As a result, a focus on efficiency and waste reduction was cited as the number one priority.

As for the highest priority trend, the key factor polled was sustainability, with almost 40% selecting this broad topic. These macro influences on how the food and drink industry behaves over the coming years are not unique to it; but how it navigates them will be.

The main concern, the economic climate and its effect on business, is difficult to predict, or control. The main trend—being seen to be taking action on sustainability—is something that can be tackled immediately, though reaching the desired outcome will take time.

Fortunately, the two have common ground, not least the strong connection between efficiency initiatives and cost savings. It is widely accepted that energy efficiency is the most cost-effective, near-term decarbonisation strategy; so the question must be, is your operation taking advantage of the opportunities this proven approach offers?

As a whole, the F&B industry finds itself increasingly in the spotlight. It carries a special responsibility, since its products have a direct effect on the health and safety of its ultimate consumers. That is also a leading factor why steam is so widely used in processing food and drink.

Its customers are beginning to demand more evidence of sustainable initiatives, too. It is now commonplace for larger customers (themselves under similar pressures) to demand an annual GHG (greenhouse gas) inventory, and possibly to publicly disclose climate-related risks to the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project).

The implications are significant; in the UK, for example, the food and drink industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the country, accounting for 19% of the total manufacturing sector by turnover.

In terms of total GHG emissions from the F&B sector, food processing's share is relatively modest—estimates range from 3. 3% to 6%—however, emissions from manufacturing will be the primary source of its own scope 1 and 2 emissions.

That is why 30% cited reducing energy and water consumption as a top action to foster sustainability in the survey mentioned earlier. But if, as is often claimed, energy efficiency is the first step towards decarbonisation, and cost savings could be in the region of 30%, what about the other 70% of respondents?

At least part of the answer lies in the different approaches to energy efficiency. One route is to treat it as a project, by adopting reactive, “one-off” initiatives. These tend to be capital-intensive, coming from a CapEx budget, which often do not build on one another to create long-term efficiency gains.

For instance, where steam plays a vital role in your processes, the prospect of electrification solving the decarbonisation challenge is appealing; but that solution is still some way off.

Take the following list of food and beverage equipment commonly powered by steam: blanchers, coaters/enrobers, evaporator/concentrators, kettles, melters, mixers, ovens (indirect fired), packing lines, pasteuriser, and retorts. What does the FDF think will be the most likely solution here? “Decarbonisation of the steam supply, either through electric steam generation or alternative fuel boilers (biomass, biogas, hydrogen)."

That scenario is unlikely to happen for at least another six years. That time could have a dramatic effect on current process optimisation, energy cost-savings, and lay a strong foundation for any future decarbonisation efforts.

There is an alternative strategy: you can view energy efficiency as a process, one with a lower cost, OpEx budget, taking a systematic, structured approach. This will yield persistent savings, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. It isn't new—Strategic Energy Management in the form of ISO 50001 has been around for over a decade—but it often gets overlooked.

In those cases where steam will still retain its primary position as the thermal energy source of choice, this second approach to efficiency will likely be the optimal response to the sustainability question.

Knowing precisely how a steam system should operate at peak performance and identifying where aspects can be improved is not expertise normally found “in-house”. That is especially so with the food and beverage industry, with its many, often ingenious, uses for steam as its preferred form of thermal energy.

The benefits gained by engaging an independent partner to make use of their guidance and expert insight will lead to a locally tailored strategy that can yield tangible results today, not tomorrow.