AMPC is helping meat processors explore whether it is feasible to use renewable energy to produce ‘process heat’.
Industrial heat pumps can use renewable energy to produce heat more efficiently than fossil fuels and ‘process heat’ from industrial heat pumps can be used for essential processing plant activities such as sterilisation and wash down.
AMPC has developed a heat pump selection tool - that assists meat processors to better understand their opportunity for switching from fossil fuel ‘process heat’ to more efficient and cleaner ‘process heat’ powered by renewable electricity.
Feasibility studies
Process heating accounts for the largest share of onsite energy use in Australian manufacturing, with lower temperature operations like food production particularly well-suited to transition to renewables.
To help processors understand how they could benefit from making the switch, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency provided funding to the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) to undertake pre-feasibility studies at a range of sites around Australia, including two red meat processors.
One meat processor is now considering the next phase of their renewable transition, which has the potential to reduce gas consumption by 75 per cent and CO2 emissions by 450 tonnes. Read more here.
Private presentations on heat pump selection
AMPC, A2EP, and Pitt & Sherry are offering meat processors an initial site-specific presentation on how to use the AMPC heat pump selection tool and how this can help determine the benefits of switching to renewable energy. A set of immediate actions will be identified throughout the presentation.
If you would like to receive an initial site-specific presentation for your red meat processing plant, please contact AMPC Program Manager Matt Deegan.