From assessment
to impact…

Decarbonising Thermal Energy

When an internationally recognised drinks producer, home to many iconic drinks brands wanted a partner to support delivery of its sustainability and efficiency targets across its global manufacturing footprint, it turned to Spirax Group.

Spirax Sarco, part of the Group’s Steam Thermal Solutions (STS) Business, has been working with the customer for some time to optimise and manage its steam and condensate processes. Recognising the opportunity to support the customer at a broader system and plant level, STS called upon the wider capability of Spirax Group. Through our new customer offer, Thermal Energy Solutions (TES), an important enabler of our Decarbonising Thermal Energy Growth Driver, we brought together complementary expertise in a cross-functional team, adding specialists from our Electric Thermal Solutions Business as well as our Digital and Services teams.

This ensured we had the right mix of steam and electric technical expertise, digital capability and local knowledge to identify opportunities from the customer’s thermal energy systems in each plant and deliver consultative solutions. The team delivered four deep-dive Thermal Energy Assessments (TEAs) at the drinks brands’ highest energy-consuming manufacturing sites, which are in Mexico, Jamaica and the USA.

Activities included utilities assessments, mass and energy balances and steam trap surveys. The assessments highlighted opportunities across the full spectrum of thermal energy optimisation, management and decarbonisation. One example is using local, electrically powered hot water generators and in-line heaters to take the load off the central gas-fired hot water boilers, reducing heat losses and inefficiencies associated with the water distribution around the plant.

Following each assessment, a tailored sustainability roadmap for each plant was produced. In addition to highlighting the recommended actions, the roadmap also provided economic and sustainability benefits data, together with the implementation costs and timelines for both short-and long-term improvements that can be tangibly delivered, including with support from Spirax Group’s TargetZero and PoweringZero solutions.

Our TEAs have identified over 34 recommendations for process optimisation, maintenance cost savings and opportunities for electrification, all leveraging the expertise and technology available through Spirax Group, representing a pull-through opportunity of more than £1 million. If implemented, these project recommendations would deliver a projected annual energy saving of around £700,000 and a CO₂e reduction of more than 5,500 tonnes for the customer across its four sites.

Through leveraging our unique capabilities and combining our approach through our new TES offer, we have redefined our value and positioned ourselves as a trusted partner for both local and global support, deepening the relationship for years to come.