How to Achieve Energy Efficiency in Food Production Facilities for Investors?
Energy efficiency in a food production facility refers to producing the same quantity of product with less electricity, steam, refrigeration and compressed air, tracked through a measurable indicator such as kWh per tonne of product. The international framework is the ISO 50001:2018 energy management system standard; in the EU, the Energy Efficiency Directive sets obligations for large energy users, and in Türkiye, Energy Efficiency Law No. 5627 of 2007 applies. For an investor, efficiency is gained in two stages: first in design (motors, pumps, heat recovery), then in operation (monitoring, cleaning programme, maintenance). The four sections below cover both stages.
How is an energy monitoring and management system set up?
An energy monitoring system is the management infrastructure that measures the plant's electricity, steam, water and compressed-air consumption with meters and relates it to the quantity produced. In ISO 50001, this relationship is set through an energy performance indicator (EnPI) and an energy baseline, for example "kWh per tonne of product" or "m³ of water per tonne of product". Set-up proceeds in three steps. First, sub-meters are installed for the main consumers (refrigeration, steam boiler, compressor, CIP). Next, a baseline is derived from the data of the first measurement period. Finally, deviations are tracked in a weekly report. Under the EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EU) 2023/1791, enterprises with average annual energy consumption above 85 TJ must implement an energy management system.
Which equipment investments reduce energy consumption?
The equipment investments that reduce energy consumption most consist of three groups: high-efficiency motors, variable frequency drives (VFDs) and heat recovery systems. The EU motor ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2019/1781 requires at least efficiency class IE3 for three-phase motors with 2, 4, 6 or 8 poles from 0.75 to 1,000 kW from 1 July 2021, and IE4 for 2-, 4- or 6-pole motors from 75 to 200 kW from 1 July 2023 (with the exceptions listed in the Regulation); the classes are defined in IEC 60034-30-1. For pumps and fans, the affinity laws state that power is proportional to the cube of speed. By open calculation, reducing speed by 20% theoretically cuts power to about half (0.8³ ≈ 0.51). On the heat side, a Plate Heat Exchanger transfers heat from hot outgoing product to cold incoming product.
How does process optimisation increase energy efficiency?
Process optimisation is the reorganisation of product flow, cleaning programme and compressed-air use so that no unnecessary energy is consumed. Three areas stand out. First, cleaning: a CIP Cleaning Unit can reuse final-rinse water as the pre-rinse of the next cycle. Second, compressed air: according to a US Department of Energy (DOE) tip sheet, leaks often waste as much as 20–30% of a compressor's output; periodic leak surveys are carried out with an ultrasonic detector. Third, production planning: when batches of the same product are scheduled back to back, the number of intermediate cleanings at product changeover falls.
Why does employee training affect energy savings?
Employee training is the management step that controls the part of energy consumption that depends on daily operating decisions. However efficient the equipment, an idling conveyor, a cold-room door left open or an unnecessarily high compressor pressure erases the savings. This is why one of the benefits ISO 50001 aims for is staff awareness and competence regarding energy use. In practice, three habits are enough: a checklist at the start and end of each shift, sharing the weekly EnPI result with the team, and recording employee suggestions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is energy efficiency important in food production facilities?
Energy efficiency is an operating indicator that lowers both the energy cost per unit of product and the environmental impact of a food plant. Refrigeration, steam and compressed air are continuous loads that run for most of the day, so small efficiency differences accumulate over the year. ISO 50001 also treats efficiency not as a one-off investment but as a process improved continuously through the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle.
How do energy monitoring systems work?
An energy monitoring system is a measurement infrastructure that matches data from sub-meters on the main consumers with the quantity produced. The system compares the ISO 50001 energy performance indicator (for example kWh per tonne of product) with the baseline. A consumer that deviates in the weekly report, such as a compressor idling at night, is assigned as a task to the maintenance or operations team.
What equipment can increase energy efficiency?
The equipment that increases energy efficiency consists of four groups: IE3/IE4 class motors, variable frequency drives on pumps and fans, heat recovery with plate heat exchangers, and CIP units that recover water. Under Regulation (EU) 2019/1781, class IE3 is already mandatory on the EU market for most three-phase motors from 0.75 to 1,000 kW, which is why the offer should state the motor efficiency class.
Is ISO 50001 certification mandatory?
Whether ISO 50001 is mandatory depends on national law. In the EU, the Energy Efficiency Directive (EU) 2023/1791 requires enterprises with an average annual energy consumption above 85 TJ to implement a certified energy management system, and enterprises above 10 TJ that have no such system to carry out energy audits. A certified ISO 50001 system is one of the ways to meet the first obligation.
Next Step
An energy efficiency assessment is an engineering study that starts by measuring current consumption and ranks the investment priorities. Share your plant's product, capacity and metering data; let us decide together with ProcessTürk which step comes first.