'Food sector can already make strides in energy transition'

The total energy consumption of the food and beverage sector in 2022 was about 82.4 petajoules. About 70% of this energy was generated with natural gas. It is vital that companies think strategically about energy transition and their energy supply. Within Rabobank, energy transition experts distinguish four steps that companies can already go through before the actual transition from natural gas to green power takes place.

1. Reducing consumption

This step focuses on energy efficiency within processes. An energy management system and sensors can help with energy consumption mapping and contribute to better coordination of energy demand between departments.

2. Flexibilizing energy demand

In some cases, a company may be able to shift electricity demand to times when green power is available. In addition, the link between energy supply and demand can be made more flexible by buffering energy. Green energy is then stored when it is convenient and can be used at a later time.

3. Flexibilizing production process

If more green energy is available for production from the energy buffers, producers can also convert production processes step by step from gas to other energy carriers. By investing in hybrid solutions, companies can switch between gas and electricity or heat from the heat battery at any time. This allows them to make the best use of the energy buffers filled with cheap and renewable green electricity.

4. Collaborate

Companies can further explore the possibilities of making agreements with neighbors and grid operators about energy use during peak times. This can be done through a "capacity limiting contract" or by setting up a group connection and transport agreement, whereby a few energy customers share the joint transport capacity. Another form of cooperation is an energy hub. This is a system in which, within a certain geographic area, the generation, storage and consumption of electricity are optimally coordinated with each other and with the available energy infrastructure.

Source: Rabobank