It was Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that gave Arla's electrification an extra boost. The group has since invested heavily in heat pumps and electric boilers at its production plants.
The largest investment is a 1,000 m² heat pump plant worth DKK 238 million at Danmark Protein in Nr. Vium, which is the subsidiary Arla Foods Ingredients' largest plant in Denmark.
The heat pump plant, which is expected to be operational later this year, will convert 2.5 MW of electricity into 8 MW of heat for processing whey products, among others. Arla estimates that this one installation will reduce emissions by 14,500 tonnes of CO? equivalents annually – a decrease of 22 percent. compared to 2023.
At the same time, a 16 MW electric boiler has already been put into operation and contributes to an additional 3,500 tons of CO? reduction per year.
The examples are far from alone.
With investments of over half a billion kroner, Arla Foods is reducing its gas consumption in Denmark by 24 percent by 2026. And more investments and collaborations are on the way.
- Politicians must set targets for electrification
At Green Power Denmark, Director Kristian Jensen praises Arla's efforts and points to the need for political support.
- Arla shows that investments in electric boilers and heat pumps are good for both the climate and the bottom line. But many companies hesitate because these are big decisions here and now. There is a need for a national electrification target and support pools targeted at converting from fossil to green energy, he says.
Arla aims to reduce CO? emissions from production by 63 percent by 2030. By the end of 2024, 33 percent had been achieved – and the new heat pump projects are expected to contribute an additional nine percent over the next two to three years.
The company also expects to be 100 percent powered by green electricity in Denmark as early as 2025. This will be achieved, among other things, through a 10-year electricity contract with Eurowind Energy for supply from the Nørre Økse Sø wind farm.
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