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Arla Foods has made strides in reducing dairy supply chain emissions through the implementation of high-temperature electric heat pump technology at its AKAFA milk powder site in Svenstrup, Denmark.

This implementation represents a key advancement in the dairy industry’s efforts to electrify energy-intensive processes traditionally reliant on natural gas.

Historically, spray drying, a crucial method for transforming liquid milk into powder, has posed substantial challenges for electrification due to its high energy demands and the extreme temperatures required – often exceeding 120 degrees Celsius.

Conventional electric heat pumps have struggled to operate efficiently under these conditions. However, Arla’s innovative approach uses CO2 as both a heating and cooling agent, enabling stable performance and energy efficiency at elevated temperatures.

With this new technology, Arla Foods anticipates a reduction of more than 1,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually from its operations at AKAFA.

“This is a milestone in reducing emissions from our supply chain. Spray drying has long been one of the toughest processes to electrify, and by cracking that challenge, we are taking a pioneering step towards more sustainable dairy,” said Line Brandt Pedersen, director of supply chain sustainability.

The successful deployment of this high-temperature heat pump is the culmination of years of collaboration with technology partners, culminating in a full-scale installation that showcases the potential for broader application across Arla’s production facilities.

“With the strong performance we are seeing, we will now be exploring the potential roll-out of the technology more broadly across our production,” Pedersen added.

Arla is committed to ambitious sustainability goals, having set a Science Based Targets Initiative-approved target of achieving a 63% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, compared to 2015 levels.

Currently, the cooperative has achieved a 37% reduction, and investments in energy efficiency and electrification are expected to contribute an additional 18 percentage points towards this target.

“Electrification of our supply chain is undoubtedly a key part of reaching our target. It requires innovative technology, upskilling our employees, and, of course, investments," Pedersen noted. "But as the heat pump at AKAFA shows, sustainability and performance can go hand in hand.”

In recent years, Arla Foods has invested over DKK 600 million (approx. $93 million) in electrifying its dairies in Denmark, with additional projects underway in the UK and Germany.