Danisco Grindsted in major environmental investment

Over the past 15 years Danisco has more than doubled its production in Grindsted with total energy consumption remaining unchanged. This development masks targeted efforts to optimise resource utilisation. In collaboration with Danish-based Danfoss Solutions, Danisco now takes a major leap forward: Before 1 July 2010, these efforts will help reduce energy consumption by 8-9% annually while reducing CO2 emissions by about 6,000 tonnes.

’On average, every Dane’s “personal” CO2 emission is close to 6 tonnes annually.  With around 10,000 inhabitants, “personal” emissions in a town like Grindsted total some 60,000 tonnes. In consequence, this project will reduce CO2 emissions by an amount corresponding to 10% of Grindsted’s total emissions,’ says Morten Hygum, who is Danisco’s project manager.

Tangible targets
One of the driving forces for the project will be to illustrate things, says project manager Morten B. Vagner, Danfoss Solutions A/S.

’The Grindsted plant has huge energy costs and that may be difficult to relate to. It is much more tangible to tell the individual employee that the plant he is working at spends DKK 250,000 annually on electricity and that could hopefully motivate him to make an effort to reach the targets we have set up for that particular plant.’

A large part of the reduction has to be achieved through behavioural changes.

Morten B. Vagner: ’We believe that all employees are responsible for the energy consumption. Therefore, we will target the employees:  each department will be thoroughly reviewed, partly to find possible savings and partly to bring out the employees’ ideas. Moreover, we want to challenge the way they do things. Energy savings are often a matter of changing habits. A machine may be running all the time although it is only used a few times a day. The good habits we have at home should be used at work, too. We know from previous projects that behavioural changes tend to provide larger savings than expected.’

Apart from the human factor, technology will also play a part. Danfoss Solutions has selected ten technical projects that will lead to significant savings. In addition, a large part of the around 300 electricity meters at the plant will be included in a software program allowing for consumption – and especially movements – to be registered and made visible. This initiative is to increase the employees’ consumption awareness.

Prepared to pay the difference
For three months, Danfoss Solutions has conducted a pre-study at the plant calculating what savings could be achieved. To prove how much Danfoss Solutions believes in its own concept, EnSave, the company is willing to pay the difference in case savings of 8-9 % are not achieved.

’The way the EnSave concept is constructed we take part of the financial responsibility,’ Morten B. Vagner explains. If a customer fails to reach the target we have set, we will pay the difference. On the other hand, we will also be taking a larger slice of the cake if the savings turn out even greater.

Quick return on investment
Danisco has drawn up a contract with Danfoss Solutions. Under this the company will initially get a report highlighting the potential energy savings. The report is based on the 3-month pre-study. After that comes a 6-month period where the various initiatives are launched, and finally a 12-month phase during which the savings should materialise.

‘We pay one amount for all the services from Danfoss Solutions. With the annual savings we have been promised, we will see a return on our investment within three years,’ Morten Hygum points out. This is not very long in terms of energy savings. At Danisco we normally expect a return after five years in relation to energy and environmental projects.

Global project
Morten Hygum heads the project department, which is part of Danisco’s global innovation and technology organisation. The project in Grindsted has been launched by Danisco’s top management. The Group is committed to sustainability and is currently focusing on five of its largest plants worldwide to reduce CO2 emissions. Danfoss Solutions has been included in the project on the initiative of the plant in Grindsted and is currently involved in projects at Danisco plants in Finland, France and Mexico, while a US plant is next in line.

’Of course there is a financial incentive, but Danisco’s primary reason for launching the project is sustainability,’ says Morten Hygum. We supply ingredients to the food industry globally and we clearly feel that our customers are increasingly focusing on supplier ethics and social responsibility. That is why we are particularly focusing on reducing CO2 emissions. We would like to be a responsible player in society and contribute to making Denmark, and the other countries where we are present, live up to their international obligations in this field.

More information
Martin Kirstein Madsen, Plant Manager, Danisco Grindsted, tel.: + 45 7972 5600
Natalie E. Weber, Media Relations Manager, Danisco, tel.: +45 3266 2927, mobile: +45 2876 5104