Food and drink business resource efficiency

Reducing energy use makes good business sense. It can: 

• save money
• enhances public image
• reduces environmental impacts 

Food and drink businesses are often high energy users.  This gives you the chance to cut costs, energy use and carbon emissions.

Find energy savings in food and drink businesses

The major areas of energy consumption might be refrigeration, food processing, heating and use of compressed air. You should monitor and measure your energy use and check the condition and operation of equipment. It's helpful to check your power use and set a benchmark for improvements.

Key areas to concentrate on initially include:

• Good maintenance - all equipment will be more energy efficient if it is properly and regularly maintained.
• Check for leaks - refrigerant systems, air-compressors, boilers, cookers, washing plant, etc are all prone to leaks. This can increase energy use and cause environmental problems.
• Insulation - check that heating or cooling equipment is properly and fully insulated to avoid unnecessary energy loss.
• Process planning - plan to use equipment and production lines in the most energy-efficient way.
• Switch off - don't leave motors, compressors, boilers, conveyors or other equipment running when not in use. Consider installing movement sensors that switch off lighting when not in use in areas such as stores and washrooms.
• Heat recovery and reuse - compressors, refrigerators and boilers all lose heat. Talk to manufacturers about systems for recovering and reusing this wasted energy.
• Using energy-efficient equipment - installing variable speed drives, high-efficiency motors and energy-efficient cookers, boilers and refrigerators can all lead to reduced energy costs.

Detailed guidance is available to help you save energy and cut costs in your business, including advice on managing your energy use and process control systems for energy efficiency.