Tetra Pak introduces thermal renewable energy solution

In a bid to play its part in mitigating the climate crisis and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, a major specialist in processing, packaging and distributing food products has implemented an all-new standardised solution for industrial equipment powered by renewable thermal energy.

Tetra Pak, world-renowned revolutionising food packaging with its iconic cartons — providing convenient and sustainable solutions for storing and distributing products worldwide — is using a scalable solar thermal module that can be integrated with current and new ultra-high temperature processing (UHT) lines, which is used to sterilise liquid food by sporadic heating to kill microbial spores. 

This thermal technology, pioneered by Swedish solar thermal company Absolicon, allows Tetra Pak to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. At its optimum performance, the technology — due to be installed this year — can reduce fossil fuel usage by up to 40%. 

Tetra Pak is inspired to curb its emissions by the wider industry: around two thirds of the energy consumption in a typical food production plant is thermal energy, the other third electricity.

Heat generation today also constitutes 40% of the world’s total CO2 emissions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says.

‘Pioneer’ Tetra Pak’s drive toward net zero Scope 3 emissions by 2050

An integral part in Tetra Pak’s mission to be net zero in its Scope 3 emissions by 2050, the company — acknowledging it plays a massive part in the worldwide value chain — is taking its place in the driving seat when it comes to decarbonising for the benefit of the climate. 

It sees reducing greenhouse gas emissions as an essential step towards combating climate change, keeping global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. 

With this process requiring deep, rapid and sustained greenhouse gas emission reductions, Tetra Pak became one of the first 59 companies part of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)1, which also serves as the basis for its company-wide strategic targets.

“At Tetra Pak, we are committed to enabling our customers to improve their environmental footprint through optimising their operations and equipment,” Nicole Uvenbeck, Director Factory Sustainable Solutions & OEM Components at Tetra Pak said. “Absolicon’s solar thermal solutions are good and support our wider Net Zero Roadmap, where we have committed to reducing our value chain emissions and scaling decarbonisation solutions for our suppliers, customers and own operations.”

Absolicon CEO Joakim Byström added: “By implementing clean thermal supply to their equipment, Tetra Pak are once again proving they are pioneers. They have global access to the world’s food and beverage companies and can become a change driver for the sector’s transition from fossil fuels to renewable heat.”

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