Notice

IETF Phase 2, Autumn 2021: competition winners

Updated 13 September 2023

Applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales

Project ID 21023  - York Handmade Brick

IETF grant offered: £38,800
Project costs: £62,033
Location: Alne, York
Study Competition: Waste Heat Recovery and Utilisation

York Handmade Brick Company’s plant in Alne, York, has been manufacturing handmade designer bricks since 1988. The process of brick making is very energy intensive and it requires large volumes of natural gas to first dry the clay bricks and then bake them at high temperatures in brick kilns. In this feasibility study, the company is assessing the possibility of utilising the waste heat from the exhaust gases of the kilns to offset the gas demand of the dryers.

The problem is challenging due to various constraints and operational requirements of the process, for example the ability to operate the dryers independent of the kilns for flexibility in production, the exhaust gases from kilns carrying significant quantities of dust and particulate matter which can foul a heat exchanger, the physical distance between the dryers and the kilns, etc, and would require a careful consideration, engineering design and a bespoke solution. The aims of this feasibility study are to identify opportunities for energy savings and carbon reduction and gain a reasonable understanding of risks, costs of investments and resources required for the selected solutions.

The IETF feasibility study grant, combined with match-funding from the company’s corporate funds, will cover the cost of this project. The project is expected to provide significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and savings on gas consumption upon completion and will provide some level of immunity from rising gas prices.

Guy Armitage, Managing Director, said: “We are keen to operate in a sustainable manner for our planet and play our part in reaching the national net zero emissions target by 2050. We would like to lead the way of energy efficiency and decarbonisation for the brick and ceramic industry in the UK. The IETF grant from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is a vital resource for industries like ours who have very limited disposable funds but are keen to convert our environmental ambitions into practical action through this ambitious

Project ID 21027 - RPC Containers

IETF grant offered: £48,250
Project costs: £70,168
Location: Rushden, Northamptonshire
Study Competition: Installing integrated variable speed drive technology on blow moulding machinery

RPC-Superfos designs, develops and manufactures innovative plastic packaging solutions and the majority of its carbon emissions are linked directly with the manufacturing process. A focus on energy efficiency is a large part of its corporate responsibility - electricity and carbon emissions are reported in its Annual Reports and Accounts and to monitor energy use, the energy management system ISO50001 is being rolled out across its sites.

Extrusion blow moulding is an energy intensive process whereby room temperature granules are heated within a screw and barrel and vertically extruded through an open mould which closes around the parison. Air is injected into the soft parison which is blown out to the internal shape of the mould. Heat is extracted from the thermoplastic material into the steel of the mould, the temperature of which is maintained by circulating chilled water through the mould. The cooler rigid part is removed and the process repeated.

The movements of the mould and other mechanical element of the machine are powered by hydraulics, oil being pumped to their respective actuators. An electric motor drives the pumps and at a fixed speed, irrespective of the changing process demands.

The Rushden site operates 37 Extrusion Blow Moulding Machines EBMMs), which are of old design and do not benefit from the improved technologies and controls now available. Consequently, their operating performance and efficiency is poor. It is thought that retrofit variable speed drives to the fixed speed hydraulic motors together with a well developed, flexible, adaptable speed control strategy will improve production performance and operating SEC. With partners Energy Drive and CCS Technology, the project aims to perform a comprehensive study into the technical and financial feasibility of such retrofits on the site’s EBMMs.

The learning from this study can not only be extended to other UK extrusion blow moulding sites within the group, through its Energy Management network, but also to other group operations globally and the public knowledge will assist any blow moulding facilities worldwide.

Project ID 21002 – Wienerberger Limited

IETF grant offered: £220,299
Project costs: £440,598
Location: Doncaster
Deep Decarbonisation Deployment Competition: Replacement of gas oil boilers with electric heat pump (heat exchanger), thermal buffer system and heat recovery system

Wienerberger launched its sustainability strategy “Let’s Build Beyond” in 2021. This provided a great opportunity to look deeply at its production processes and investigate what current technology could be used to reach one of its sustainability strategy goals: to create a net-zero carbon emission concrete roof tile factory (Scope 1&2).

At Wienerberger’s concrete roof tile factories, the largest source of fuel consumption and carbon emissions comes from the curing process, which uses gas oil to produce the hot water for the curing chamber heating system. Using gas oil to heat water for roof tile curing has the disadvantages of generating carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion, and the loss of heat to the atmosphere with the exhaust gases. Wienerberger wishes to replace gas oil burning with an Air Source Heat Pump: a renewable energy source and clean air alternative.

Within the factory, Wienerberger’s air compressors run on renewable electricity but generate heat during use, which is currently lost to atmosphere. The project plan involves directing waste heat from the compressors into a collector array for an Air Source Heat Pump. The heat pump will then transfer heat to the hot water system supplying the concrete roof tile curing chambers. This method replaces gas oil and generates no carbon emissions. It also captures heat emitted from the compressors, which is currently wasted.

The Air Source Heat Pump will be used in conjunction with other energy saving initiatives such as extra ducting and pipe insulation, modifying the control program of the chamber doors to conserve heat and create a more temperature-stable environment.

The match funding for this project will be drawn from Wienerberger’s ESG capex fund. The IETF grant will enable the project to go ahead, starting with the purchase and installation of the Air Source Heat Pump and associated equipment.

After commissioning the system, the concrete roof tile factory should have successfully reached net-zero carbon emissions (Scope 1 & 2). Wienerberger will then commission a GHG emission audit and gain third-party certification for net-zero factory status.

A successful outcome will stimulate additional investment to install this technology at the remaining Wienerberger concrete roof tile factories.

David Marsh, Production Director North for Wienerberger, said: “This project will be a huge step forward to achieving our goal of having a net zero CO2 emission Concrete Roof Tile Plant.”

Project ID 21006 – Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Limited

IETF grant offered: £282,100
Project costs: £3,157,000
Location: Derby
Energy Efficiency Deployment Competition: Clearcoat IX airless atomiser technology

At TMUK, the painting processes are the largest consumer of energy on site. This project aims to reduce the amount of energy required by reducing the spray booth size and quantity of equipment through the introduction of new Toyota developed iX airless paint atomisers.

Conventional spray atomisers utilise air and electrostatic painting to transfer the atomised paint to the vehicle body. The air causes ‘bounce back’ of the paint particles leading to paint being wasted.

IX airless paint atomisers use electrostatic atomisation, which greatly reduces the amount of bounce back and increases the attraction to the metal vehicle body. It allows the robot to be 100mm from the vehicle instead of 300mm and transfer efficiency increases to 95%.

Reducing the spray distance and increasing the transfer efficiency will allow Toyota to reduce the footprint of its robotic spray processes which, in turn, allows it to reduce the booth size by 30% and the number of auxiliary fans required to produce the booth down draught. The reduced equipment significantly reduces the gas and electrical energy usage in the whole spray process.

The IETF funding enabled investment in this new technology.

Richard Kenworthy, TMUK Managing Director, said: “The opportunity that this IETF funding enables is significant. It allows TMUK to invest in the latest robot technology, which will significantly reduce energy usage and will contribute towards us achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.”

Project ID 21009 – Tate and Lyle Sugars Limited

IETF grant offered: £71,827
Project costs: £287,310
Location: London
Study Competition: Study into feasibility of new technologies to reduce natural gas consumption, recover heat and enhance manufacturing processes

Sugar manufacturing is an energy intensive process, requiring large quantities of fuel to turn agricultural raw materials into consumer products such as granulated sugars, syrups and treacles. This project will undertake a comprehensive Front End Engineering Design (“FEED”) study to develop a solution that reduces natural gas consumption (and hence also carbon dioxide emissions) by double-digit percentages, compared to current use at the company’s Thames Refinery in East London.

The project builds on Tate and Lyle’s earlier work, examining the technical and economic viability of carbon capture as well as fuel-switching to renewables. Both of those studies indicated that those options may well be some years away and will depend on other parties developing carbon sequestration networks and/or new fuel supply chains such as green hydrogen. Rather than wait for these solutions, this study gives the company the opportunity to reduce its fuel usage relatively quickly and keep it progressing on track towards its net zero target for Thames Refinery.

The FEED study will look at implementing technologies that allow the company to re-use even more of its heat production than it currently does, as well as integrate innovative new sugar manufacturing technologies that use less energy than currently. The extra challenges of this project that the FEED study will also address include how the company make these substantial changes to an existing complex factory that needs to continue to operate and supplying the UK food market, as well as what these changes will mean to the factory’s wider overall energy supply and demand balance.

The project is jointly funded by both Tate & Lyle Sugars and the IETF, and the aim is for the detailed and comprehensive FEED study to provide the level of design and cost information necessary to progress to a final investment decision.

John Kerr, Vice President Research & Technology at Tate & Lyle Sugars, said: “This project is a great example of Reduce, Re-use and Recycle. We spent a lot of time looking at carbon capture as well as renewable fuels (Replace) – but realised through that work that these technologies will not be available as quickly as we want them and will currently be energy intensive and expensive. This FEED study will help us establish whether there is quicker action we can take. This could have double-benefits, allowing us to cut carbon emissions quicker, and leaving us with less fossil fuel to replace when the new technologies are ready.”

Project ID 21011 – European Metal Recycling Limited

IETF grant offered: £390,542
Project costs: £1,239,818
Location: Liverpool
Energy Efficiency Deployment Competition: Variable speed shredder drive energy efficiency upgrade

EMR’s vision is to be a global leader in sustainable materials by investing in the best available technology to minimise the environmental impacts of our recycling.

Currently, recycling of end of life (EOL) ferrous-rich products require highly complex processing and separation techniques. The type of material infeed into the process includes depolluted but largely complete end-of-life vehicles, and household products such as washing machines, tumble dryers etc.

To facilitate these goods being recycled, they require breaking down into chunks that can be reasonably processed. This is done by the utilisation of huge shredders, capable of processing over 200,000 tonnes per year. These require very powerful (6,000bhp-10,000bhp), high-energy drive motors, with a very unstable load due to the nature of the material feed.

The solution to this involves installing a variable speed drive (VSD), which is an additional piece of equipment, that ‘plugs into’ the existing key infrastructure. It is a standalone solution that is housed in a container directly adjacent and connected to the current infrastructure, in this case, the main shredder drive motor specifically.

The addition of the VSD system is purely focused on controls that ensure more efficient electricity and energy usage by the existing motor.

This is in addition to operational efficiency savings, which are achieved due to the shorter time required to vary the motor speed, and the removal of the fluid coupling and capacitor bank. The other key benefit is that for the UK grid. The very high-power fluctuations traditionally inherent to such high-load motors put high stress on the surrounding infrastructure. This has previously caused cable faults and premature wear to UKPN infrastructure.

The shredding process is an energy-intensive, but essential part of the recycling process. Although this is already an electrically powered activity, the scale of usage is very significant, and as such, it is an ideal candidate when looking at total energy savings, and thus CO2 reduction.

There has already been installation of a VSD at an EMR site in Willesden, from which the company has captured data demonstrating an improvement of 22.5% electricity usage reduction, during operation. The proposed Liverpool shredder is larger than this and, as such, EMR believes the total projected energy saving will be approximately 1.7MWh/annum.

Guy Mercer, EMR’s Sustainability Director. Said: “Energy Productivity is a key pillar of our net-zero strategy as outlined in our Decade of Action. We are continually looking at ways in which we can improve this across our portfolio. The state-of-the-art variable speed drive will enable savings in excess of 20%, contributing to our commitment to improve energy productivity by 10% by 2030. The IETF helped to make this project happen, enabling valuable insights to be applied across our business.”

Project ID 21015 – Rock Chemicals Limited t/a Rock Oil

IETF grant offered: £100,084
Project costs: £250,210
Location: Warrington
Energy Efficiency Deployment Competition: Ultrasound blending technology

Rock Oil is delighted that it has been awarded an IETF grant by the Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to support its sustainability goals, specifically to reduce its manufacturing and blending-related carbon footprint significantly. The company will accomplish this by adopting ultrasound blending technology in place of traditional diesel-heated methods at its manufacturing plant in Warrington, in the North West of England.

Ultrasound blending offers numerous advantages, including smaller blend sizes, increased capacity for carbon emissions reduction, and easy retrofitting into Rock Oil’s existing infrastructure with minimal downtime and site modifications. This innovative technology will enable Rock Oil to save an estimated 90% of its current diesel usage while increasing production efficiency within its workforce capacity.

Rock Oil serves various commercial, agricultural, automotive, and motorcycle sectors by blending and filling lubricating oil. Its current diesel-fuelled blending facilities are energy-intensive and inefficient. Adopting ultrasound blending aligns with Rock Oil’s net-zero manufacturing goal. It works effectively with solar energy, already adopted on some of the buildings around the facility.

The environmentally-friendly ultrasound blending technology utilises ambient temperature base oils and requires minimal electrical energy (3kWh), further decreasing Rock Oil’s carbon footprint. It is also compatible with the company’s existing blending vessels for efficient homogenisation.

By combining ultrasound blending with solar panel installations, Rock Oil can significantly reduce its environmental impact. This pairing has demonstrated carbon-neutral blending in a UK case study. Given sufficient customer demand, the company’s production output could increase by 300% annually, securing plant demand for decades.

Faster blending output and reduced costs will improve filling efficiency, allowing Rock Oil to adopt a just-in-time production approach. As blending lead times decrease, the company can minimise finished product stock and streamline the process from order to delivery. Additional benefits include enhanced air quality, reduced health and safety risks, and increased business competitiveness.

Greg Hewitt, Managing Director, said: “We’re thrilled to have been awarded a grant to support our sustainability goals. Adopting ultrasound blending technology will help us reduce our carbon footprint while maintaining the quality of our products, which is paramount to us. This innovation aligns with our commitment to achieving net-zero manufacturing and offers benefits above and beyond the environmental aspects, including increased efficiency and reduced manufacturing costs. We’re proud to take this step towards a greener future for our business and the planet.”

Project ID 21019 – Ardagh Glass Limited

IETF grant offered: £1,768,176
Project costs: £ 4,584,492
Location: Doncaster
Energy Efficiency Deployment Competition: End fired furnace improvements, new control systems and novel training initiatives (EFFICNT)

Purpose of project

Ardagh Glass Packaging – Doncaster, part of Ardagh Group, has committed to a Sustainability Strategy, designed to minimise greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

As part of the Sustainability Strategy, the Ardagh Glass Packaging (AGP) - Doncaster Efficient Furnace Project will deliver upgraded technology to a brand-new container glass production furnace at the facility in South Yorkshire. It will be a key milestone for the facility’s decarbonisation plans; improving efficiency whilst reducing the site’s overall carbon footprint, specifically reducing CO2 produced during the melting process.

How it works

The existing AGP – Doncaster furnace is over 20 years old; its technology is inefficient by today’s standards; it has become costly to maintain and is resource intensive.

AGP - UK has designed a completely new furnace and production facility using the latest and best technology the industry has to offer. The asset will be much more efficient and will increase productivity at the facility, serving current industry demands well.

In conjunction with the installation, AGP will use state of the art training initiatives and technology to develop its employees’ knowledge and skills.

How it is funded

The project will be funded by Ardagh Group and the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund grant.

What investment the funding will help to unlock

This investment grant has been pivotal in securing the overall project approval and implementation by unlocking group-level investment support for our Doncaster facility. The scale and technology associated with the project would not have been possible, without the funding.

Expected outcomes

The project will be completed in 2023, delivering the following benefits:

• reduction in gas consumption
• more efficient combustion process
• reduced carbon emissions and greenhouse gases
• reduction in overall energy demand and lifetime consumption
• new state of the art training packages
• Advanced Model-Based Predictive Control furnace and forehearth systems
• reduced downtime due to improved preventative maintenance

Greg Methven, UK Operations Director, Ardagh Glass, said: “Ardagh Glass Packaging - Doncaster’s Efficient Furnace project will improve efficiency at the facility while reducing its carbon footprint. The grant support provided has been a key enabler in upgrading the project from a standard cross-fired furnace to more energy efficient end-fired furnace technology.”

Project ID 21020 – Mitsubishi Chemical UK Limited

IETF grant offered: £ 3,156,737
Project costs: £9,052,221
Location: Hull
Energy Efficiency Deployment Competition: Installation of thermal oxidiser with waste recovery boiler for energy efficiency and emissions reduction

Mitsubishi Chemical UK Ltd Soarnol Division located inside the Humber chemical cluster identified a project to kick start its journey towards carbon neutrality by 2050 aligned with its corporate target. A project to install a state-of the-art thermal oxidiser (TO) with waste heat steam boiler has been identified, this being part of a programme of initiatives to eliminate, reduce and re-use its chemical process waste streams and improve energy efficiency. The IETF grant funding provides a fantastic opportunity to incentivise the investment of the project in the UK during what is an uncertain economic outlook and support the deployment of a project which can act as a future platform for investment at its other global manufacturing bases.

Combined with other simple initiatives to eliminate or reduce waste gas streams the thermal oxidisers waste heat boiler will use combusted process off-gas to generate energy – this process off-gas is currently being disposed of via a direct flare generating no associated benefits. With sustained increases in energy costs this project will reduce energy imports, reduce overall carbon and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, and is poised to harness future local developments in carbon capture and blue or green Hydrogen generation.

The packaged thermal oxidiser will use the latest technology to maximise the degree of combustion of its primary fuel gas which are a mixture of VOCs within its existing process off-gas. The hot flue gas being used to turn water into high pressure steam for return into the site’s steam system – this contributing to the energy needs of the site and reducing normally imported steam which uses a fossil fuel for its generation. The TO is designed to fully integrate with the existing process and infrastructure on site and sits within the existing site boundary.

Funding for this project will be sourced from the Group’s existing internal capital.

A company spokesperson said: “Mitsubishi Chemicals mission is to create innovative solutions as part of one of its core values of sustainability. This strives for the well-being of people, society, and our planet earth – a vision we call KAITEKI. The IETF Grant funding will kick start Mitsubishi Chemical UK Soarnol Division’s journey towards carbon Neutrality.”

Project ID 21028 – Magnavale Chesterfield Limited

IETF grant offered: £371,956
Project costs: £1,666,740
Location: Chesterfield
Energy Efficiency Deployment Competition: Reconfiguration and deployment of next-generation technologies at a mature cold storage facility

Magnavale’s Chesterfield Coldstore project will incorporate state-of-the-art refrigeration technology thanks to the support of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF). This cutting-edge refrigeration system will not only ensure that products are kept at optimal temperatures, but it will also reduce energy consumption and improves overall efficiency.

The new Coldstore project is a significant investment for Magnavale Chesterfield, a company committed to delivering high-quality products while prioritising sustainability.

With the IETF’s support, Magnavale Chesterfield will be able to install an innovative refrigeration system that uses less energy than traditional systems, resulting in a significant reduction in the company’s carbon footprint.

The existing compressors operate a fixed speed motor coupled with a variable internal slide valve to control the cooling output. The most efficient scenario occurs when the slide valve is open 100% as the fixed energy input to the motor is fully utilised to deliver the cooling load. This is a rarity however as the slide position is continually altered to account for fluctuations in the ambient temperature and operational load.

The new compressor sets will include inverter drives on each motor, allowing each part of the 2-stage compression to be independently inverter speed controlled. Energy savings will arise by adapting the motor speed to meet demand at each subsection, leaving the slide valve at 100% where possible.

The new system will also allow for the introduction of hybrid condensers capable of operating on the wet bulb temperature (lowest temperature by which air can be cooled by the evaporation of water at a constant pressure). To optimise energy efficiency, the condensing temperature must be kept as low as possible, in turn reducing the water and power consumption of the condenser. A central control system will complement the reconfiguration by allowing remote compressor capacity adjustments and monitoring of operating data, indicating appropriate windows for reduced running times and energy usage. Projected savings are:

• annual energy saving: 3499 MWh
• 25-year carbon saving: 9369 tCO2e

Jonathan Gagg, Director, said: “The IETF’s contribution to this project is a testament to DESNZ’s dedication to promoting energy efficiency and sustainable practices in businesses around the UK. By supporting Magnavale Chesterfield’s new Coldstore project, the IETF is helping to pave the way for more environmentally friendly practices in the industry, while also saving the company money on energy costs.”

The project has also helped secure existing jobs and will create new jobs in the local area, providing opportunities for individuals to work in a cutting-edge facility with state-of-the-art technology. As Magnavale Chesterfield continues to grow and expand, the company remains committed to investing in sustainable practices and innovative technology to reduce its environmental impact while delivering high-quality products to its customers.

In conclusion, Magnavale Chesterfield’s new Coldstore project will be a shining example of how businesses can prioritise sustainability while also improving their operations and bottom line. With the installation of the new refrigeration system, Magnavale Chesterfield is poised to continue its growth while reducing its environmental impact and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Project ID 21030A – Pioneer Foods (UK) Limited

IETF grant offered: £27,252
Project costs: £44,326
Location: Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
Study Competition: Generation of high temperature heat for use in the existing steam system and process drying

Project background

Pioneer Foods (UK) Ltd is one of the leading cereal manufacturers in the UK, producing breakfast cereals and healthy fruit snacks for leading retailers and brands in the UK. Operating from three manufacturing facilities in the UK, the Wellingborough site produces over 5,700 tonnes of wheat biscuits per year. Following several improvement programmes to reduce waste generation, unfortunately due to product specifications waste is unavoidable. With the company’s desire to reach Net Zero and the available calorific value of the wheat, it saw an opportunity to utilise this wheat as a fuel source to offset its natural gas usage. In order to identify the true potential of this project, the company joined with its long-term energy engineering partner Envirya Ltd to undertake a feasibility study, evaluating the full potential of reutilising this biomass waste.

How the project works

The project objective was to investigate using this waste stream as a fuel source for a biomass boiler, reducing gas consumption and carbon emissions. Biomass boilers are a well established technology; however, the majority of systems use wood based combustion with grains being a less common fuel source. With the wheat having a high calorific value of 4.2kWh/kg, the potential energy available in the waste exceeds 5 GWh, equating to ~ 97% of the site’s natural gas usage with the potential to mitigate 831 tCO2e emissions per annum.

Impact of grant funding

Pioneer Foods is committed to reaching Net Zero with its energy partner, Envirya, by continuously investing in process improvements, energy efficiency and carbon reduction schemes. However, due to increasing cost of fuel and grains, investment in decarbonisation has become more difficult. With the support from IETF grant funding, Pioneer Foods has been able to continue its drive towards Net Zero.

Expected outcome

The feasibility study will investigate how the energy can be utilised in a modified Biomass Boiler to ensure efficient combustion, system integration and optimisation with the existing steam system and gas fired ovens. The study, undertaken by Envirya, will produce an actionable feasibility report that includes the necessary information, analysis, and recommendations for Pioneer Foods to make an informed decision regarding the project. It will also unlock further investments for the next IETF implementation phase.

Project ID 21030B - Pioneer Foods (UK) Limited

IETF grant offered: £29,367
Project costs: £47,579
Location: Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
Study Competition: Generation of electricity as a primary generated energy and low-grade waste heat for low temperature heat application

Project background

Pioneer Foods (UK) Ltd is one of the leading cereal manufacturers in the UK, producing breakfast cereals and healthy fruit snacks for leading retailers and brands in the UK. With an ambition to reach Net Zero in the coming years, Pioneer Foods are continuously investing in process optimisation, energy efficiency, and carbon reduction projects to improve environmental performance. One such project includes the potential to install a Biomass CHP to generate electricity and heat for its process, reducing the demand on the grid. In order to identify the true potential of this project, the company joined with its long-term energy engineering partner Envirya Ltd to undertake a feasibility study to understand the full potential of reutilise this waste.

How the project works

The objective of this project is to investigate the feasibility of installing a Biomass CHP, utilising the process waste stream to generate electricity and heat for our energy intensive processes. By utilising a Biomass CHP and integrating into its current process it calculated that a potential of 3.2 GWh thermal energy and 0.7 GWh of electricity generation could be produced, offsetting 680 tCO2 being emitted from grid electricity and natural gas.

The uniqueness of using grains as a fuel source for Biomass CHPs requires an investigation into how the waste would be processed and pelletised as well as the required alterations to the CHP to ensure efficient combustion with integration into the existing site infrastructure.

Impact of grant funding

Committed to reaching Net Zero, Pioneer Foods, along with its energy engineering partner, Envirya, continuously invests in process improvements, energy efficiency and carbon reduction schemes. However, due to increasing cost of fuel and grains, investment in decarbonisation has become more difficult. With the support from IETF grant funding, Pioneer Foods has been able to continue its drive towards Net Zero, increase fuel security and overall sustainability of the company.

Expected outcome

The feasibility study will provide Pioneer Foods with an in-depth evaluation of utilising its waste as a viable fuel source for a Biomass CHP, identifying fuel adaptation process, potential electrical and thermal outputs, site integration and carbon mitigation. The study will produce an actionable feasibility report that includes the necessary information, analysis, and recommendations for Pioneer Foods to make an informed decision on bringing this project to realisation.

Project ID 21031 – Britvic Soft Drinks Limited

IETF grant offered: £4,447,763
Project costs: £8,086,841
Location: London
Deep Decarbonisation Deployment Competition: Installation of heat pumps - Beckton Low Carbon Heat Network

Britvic is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its production and by 2022 had already reduced its direct (Scope 1 and 2) emissions by around 34% compared to its 2017 baseline. As part of the company’s ongoing commitment, in 2019 it publicly announced that by 2025 it would reduce its direct emissions by 50% and indirect emissions by 35% against the 2017 footprint. After this date, its goal is to have net zero emissions across scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement goals of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C.

The next step in Britvic’s journey to net zero is the implementation of the latest low carbon technologies at its production site at Beckton where it makes household favourites such as Tango and Robinsons. With the support of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF), waste heat can be recovered from its existing systems, and the temperature increased using a heat recovery system. This will then be distributed around the site using a new Low Temperature Hot Water network, replacing the carbon intensive steam system.

Britvic’s current manufacturing process has points of heat generation and points of consumption, however these are not connected. Heat is currently removed from generation areas and released into the atmosphere, while steam provides heat to points of use. This steam is produced by burning natural gas in boilers – a carbon intensive process. The IETF heat recovery project will tap into the site’s cooling system and upgrade the currently wasted, low temperature heat into usable energy, before linking into areas of the plant which are currently served by steam.

Decarbonising the heat at Beckton will deliver an estimated saving of 1,216 tonnes of carbon and 6.0 GWh of natural gas annually. This is offset against the increased use of electricity to power the heat pump of approximately 1.4 GWh, leading to a modest reduction in utility costs but driving down carbon produced. This project is expected to reduce steam use by around 70%, and when combined with the switch to renewable electricity, lead to an estimated reduction in the cpmpany’s carbon footprint of approximately 80% when compared to its 2017 baseline.

Sarah Webster, Britvic’s Sustainable Business Director, said: “We are passionate about delivering on our ambition to be Net Zero by 2050, and we are pleased to have reduced our direct emissions by over 30% since 2017. We want to go further faster, but we can’t do it alone. Alongside our sustainable investment programme, this IETF grant will help us reduce our carbon emissions at our much-loved London site by a further 50%. This will benefit our employees, the local community, our customers and consumers who can feel reassured that we take our environmental responsibilities seriously.”

Project ID 21032 – Natural World Products Limited

IETF grant offered: £299,409
Project costs: £ 544,380
Location: Dunmurry, Northern Ireland
Deep Decarbonisation Deployment Competition: Fuel switching - replacement of four diesel trommels with electric variants

Natural World Products (NWP) is a leading UK organics company committed to working on climate-focused solutions that will impact positively on the environment and in local communities.

Managing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of organics every year, NWP produces high quality peat-free composts and soil conditioners. In agri-growing, NWP products help to return organic matter to heavily farmed soils; improve soil biology; reduce the requirement for synthetic fertilisers; improve growing yields; increase water retention and address issues of run-off; improve friability and sequester significant volumes of carbon. Increasingly, they are also replacing the environmentally devastating peat-based growing that have historically dominated horticulture with the company supplying a range of peat-free growing mixes to retailers from Dublin to London. From start to finish, NWP’s’ recycling process results in significant Greenhouse Gas reduction benefits and has a hugely positive impact on soil health.

A company spokesperson said: “The funding obtained towards this project under the IETF Deep Decarbonisation competition strand has allowed the company to make significant further greenhouse gas emissions savings at one of its key processing facilities by enabling it to replace a number of key items of diesel-powered plant and equipment with more modern and cutting edge equivalents that are fully powered by electricity, generated by the company’s on-site wind turbines further adding to the carbon capture benefits of the overall project.”

Project ID 21033 – Ibstock Brick Limited

IETF grant offered: £241,158
Project costs: £803,861
Location: Pullborough, West Sussex
Energy Efficiency Deployment Competition: Recovery of heat to reduce energy usage

Ibstock is a leading UK manufacturer of clay and concrete building products and solutions. Its principal products are clay bricks, brick components, concrete roof tiles, concrete substitutes for stone masonry, concrete fencing and pre‐stressed concrete products.

Ibstock has committed to decarbonise its products, processes and supply chain, as set out in its ESG 2030 Strategy, published in 2022. The team will address climate change ambitions by focusing on carbon reduction, water efficiency and biodiversity gains to achieve 40% reduction in carbon by 2030 and be Net Zero operations by 2040.

As part of Ibstock’s commitment to decarbonise products, the project at Pulborough, West Sussex, identified an opportunity to increase the utilisation of waste heat in another part of the process. This recovery and use of waste heat from one part of the brick making process, and its use in another process, displaces the use of natural gas. The project utilises waste heat from the kiln process, implementing a control system to enable the return of energy to the drying process, by providing humidification directly to the heat stream which otherwise would not be utilised in the drying process, due to the sensitivity of clay cracking.

The control system monitors the humidity inside the drying chambers and the temperature of the recovered heat and modulates the addition of atomised water directly into the insulated steel duct, carrying the hot air from the kiln. The increased level humidity enables more recovered heat to be added earlier in the drying cycle, replacing direct energy input from the gas burner. An added benefit of the project is improved quality and a shorter drying cycle as temperatures can be raised more quickly in a humid atmosphere.

The project is being funded partly by company capital investment and partly by a grant from the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF). The support of the IETF scheme significantly improved financial returns unlocking the internal capital that makes undertaking the project a reality.

The project will deliver a significant reduction in CO2 emissions per annum at the site. This is based upon the additional calculated heat to be recovered from the kiln process, which reduces the direct natural gas consumption for the drying process.

Andrew Craddock, Manufacturing Development Director, Ibstock Brick Limited, said: “This project, supported by IETF funding, to recover heat to reduce energy usage in the brick manufacturing process is a clear demonstration of Ibstock’s commitment to deliver on its ESG commitments to achieve 40% reduction in carbon by 2030 and be Net Zero operations by 2040.”

Project ID 21004 – AB Inbev UK Limited

IETF grant offered: £61,523
Project costs: £246,092
Location: Preston
Study Competition: Heat pump engineering study - brewery carbon reduction

Budweiser Brewing Group has been brewing in Samlesbury for over 50 years. Brewing and pasteurising high-quality beer is an energy intensive process that requires large volumes of natural gas. In this feasibility study, the company will assess the possibility of transforming waste heat from the cooling plant with a heat pump to feed a hot water loop to offset the gas demand of pasteurisers.

Reducing natural gas demand is challenging due to various constraints and operational requirements of the brewing process. It requires careful consideration, engineering design and risk analysis to arrive at a good solution. This feasibility study aims to identify energy saving and carbon reduction opportunities, and gain a reasonable understanding of risks, costs and resources required for the selected solutions.

The IETF feasibility study grant, combined with match-funding from the company, will cover the cost of the study to inform the potential project. Upon completion, the project is expected to provide significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and savings on gas consumption.

Bart Cleys, Environment & Energy Director at Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, said: “Sustainability has always been a priority. We have a clear ambition to decarbonize our brewery in Samlesbury and thus reduce our carbon emissions to zero. We would like to lead the way in energy efficiency and decarbonization for the brewing industry in the UK. The IETF grant from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is a vital resource for industries like ours who have limited disposable funds but are keen to convert our environmental ambitions into practical action.”