How Solar Energy Can Help the Food and Drink Manufacturing Sector Decarbonise

How Solar Energy Can Help the Food and Drink Manufacturing Sector Decarbonise

Our MD, Jamie Shaw, recently spoke to Food and Drink Manufacturing UK about how commercial solar energy systems can help the food and drink manufacturing sector to reduce its carbon footprint, create a more sustainable supply chain, and save money on energy costs.

If you missed the original article, you can catch up below…

Switching to renewable energy isn’t a new topic for the UK’s food and drink manufacturing (FDM) industry, but with the Government’s 2050 Net Zero target drawing closer, it’s one that’s gaining more urgency.

The food and drink industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the country, by turnover, and in 2022 contributed £30 billion to the UK economy. It also emits circa 9.3 billion tonnes of emissions every year – largely attributed to the consumption of electricity and fossil fuels.

Electricity is often at the heart of operations – powering lighting, heating and cold storage systems – but greener, renewable energy solutions are needed to future-proof the sector.

Harnessing the sun’s energy and saving money

In a bid to decarbonise and boost sustainability, rooftop solar energy is an avenue many food and drink manufacturers – either directly or through their warehousing and logistics partners – are exploring.

Custom solar installations are not only helping businesses to reduce their carbon footprint, but they’re also offering significant economic and operational advantages – reducing energy bills by up to 30%, for example.

With manufacturers having been faced with average energy bill increases of 400-500% in recent years, the greater energy independence that comes with rooftop or ground-mounted solar offers more protection against such market volatility.

Creating a more sustainable supply chain

Regarding sustainability, there’s also the important topic of scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

As mounting pressure and expectation from retailers and consumers are driving more sustainable supply chain practices forward, reducing scope 3 emissions is now high on the agenda for many FDM sites.

An industry-defining moment for this came in December 2023, when ten major grocery retailers partnered with Manufacture 2030 to help accelerate supply chain decarbonisation.

Consumers are also soliciting change. In a study, only 16% of people stated that sustainability wasn’t a factor in their shopping habits. This rise in eco-conscious customers means brands need to ensure they’re meeting end-users’ needs and expectations – without greenwashing – or they risk suffering both economically and reputationally.

Maximising space to maximise efficiency

FDM sites usually have a large factory footprint, but the roofs are often unused space, making them perfect for solar panel installations. 

This was the case with a large-scale rooftop solar energy installation we delivered at a Wisbech distribution centre site – operated on behalf of international food and drink group, Princes. The installation is forecasted to achieve carbon savings of 135 tonnes per year.

Sometimes there are also sites that have access to large roofs but don’t use a lot of energy. They can still utilise this by installing a solar PV solution with blockchain technology – producing energy on site and consuming it at another, using dashboard analytics to match Half-Hourly demand. And if a site doesn’t have space, there’s the option to work with adjacent landowners, too.

Regarding investment ability, there also are fully funded solutions available – Power Purchase Agreements – that don’t require capital outlay or ongoing operational expenditure, so don’t put pressure on already squeezed budgets.

Ultimately, when supported by the right partner, many of the barriers FDM businesses face with energy transition projects are removed. So, when it comes to cutting energy costs, understanding energy usage and delivering ambitious environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, FDM businesses just need to look up!

If you’d like to find out more about our commercial solar energy solutions for the food and drink manufacturing sector, please get in touch with our friendly team via email: hello@shawtonenergy.co.uk or phone: +44 (0) 1925 794 874.

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