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Arla Foods Ingredients has installed an electric boiler at its largest production site, the Danmark Protein whey processing plant in Videbaek, Denmark.

The system will cut annual CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emissions by an estimated 3,500 tonnes, with further reductions expected.

The company is shifting from gas to renewable electricity. By the end of 2025, all Arla's European plants aim to run on electricity from 100% renewable sources.

The new 16-megawatt boiler replaces two gas boilers and generates steam for spray-drying towers used to created powdered whey ingredients. It will contribute 5% toward the company’s target of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% from 2015 to 2030. When accounting for growth, the required reduction is closer to 80%.

Thomas Lauritsen, global sustainability manager at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “The electrification of energy-intensive processes is essential to achieve our ambitious climate targets while also meeting the growing demand for high-quality whey ingredients".

"This is the latest initiative in our drive towards a carbon net zero future and a key element of our commitment to phase out our use of natural gas for energy production. It’s unlikely to be our last electric boiler – we see major potential for this technology at other powder-producing sites.”