Fonterra, the New Zealand dairy co-operative owned by thousands of farmers, has proven its commitment to more sustainable and regenerative energy use by installing its first electrode boiler.
An electrode boiler uses electricity flowing through streams of water to create steam, with the water used to carry electric current. The technology will help the company reduce its carbon emissions.
The estimated NZ$36 million (US$22 million) investment in the electrode boiler will cut the Edendale site’s emissions by approximately 20 per cent, or 47,500 tons of CO2 per year.
The co-op’s acting COO, Anna Palairet, said that the team studied numerous energy options before settling on one.
“Fonterra has a complex manufacturing operation spanning the country. As technologies develop, it’s important we continually assess which energy source and technology is best for each site,” she said.
The world’s biggest dairy exporter is working in partnership with Meridian Energy to deliver electricity, which is produced entirely from renewable resources like the sun, wind, and water.
“We congratulate Fonterra for taking this step given the significance and scale of their operations. Partnerships like these are critical to helping this country meet the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Meridian CEO Neal Barclay.
Previously, Fonterra has also made several shifts toward its decarbonisation projects by trimming coal use at manufacturing sites and switching to alternative energy sources.
