Wednesday, 02 May 2018 11:25

Fonterra’s Brightwater to shift from coal

Written by 
Fonterra’s Brightwater dairy factory. Fonterra’s Brightwater dairy factory.

Fonterra’s Brightwater dairy factory has received funding to reduce its site’s reliance on coal.

Fonterra says the move will reduce the site’s carbon dioxide emissions by 25%.
 
With funding support from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), conversion is about to get underway on Brightwater’s existing coal boiler, adding capacity to burn wood biomass to generate steam.
 
The move will cut emissions from the factory by around 2,400 tonnes a year – roughly the same as taking 530 cars off the road.
 
Fonterra chief operating officer global operations Robert Spurway says the move to a co-fired boiler decreases reliance on fossil fuels and is a significant step towards achieving Fonterra’s emission reduction targets.
 
“Last year we joined forces with the Ministry for the Environment to develop a roadmap to a low emissions future, which included a commitment to undertake a demonstration of co-firing wood biomass with coal at one of our sites.
  
“Now, with the support of EECA, we’re putting our co-firing strategy into action. Brightwater’s transition to a lower emission energy source is a tangible step toward achieving our target of reducing our Global Operations emissions by 30% by 2030, and our longer-term goal of net zero emissions by 2050.”

More like this

Fonterra trims board size

Fonterra’s board has been reduced to nine - comprising six farmer-elected and three appointed directors.

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

LCAs tackle false narratives

The quest to measure, report and make sense of the energy that goes into food production has come a long way in the past 25 years.

Featured

Fonterra trims board size

Fonterra’s board has been reduced to nine - comprising six farmer-elected and three appointed directors.

Boost for hort exports

The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

National

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of…

Machinery & Products

BA Pumps expand

Cambridge based BA Pumps & Sprayers, specialists in New Zealand-made spraying equipment, has acquired Tokoroa Engineering’s product range, including the…

Entries open for innovation award

Fieldays and its renowned Innovation Awards are celebrating their 57th year, marking a longstanding tradition in the agricultural calendar, with…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter