ABA Presents Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for Baking

 

The American Bakers Association (ABA) presented a panel discussion entitled “Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for Baking” during one of its management-focused education sessions at IBIE 2016.

A panel of baking executives discussed their ENERGY STAR Challenge journey towards reducing energy use by 10% in less than five years, as part of the education seminar program at IBIE in Las Vegas this year. Speakers who brought their insights to the stage were: Jim McKeown, director environment/energy affairs, Bimbo Bakeries USA; Dennis Colliton, VP, engineering, Northeast Foods; Anthony Turano, director of administration, Turano Baking Company; moderated by Bruce Bremer, president, Bremer Energy Consulting Company.

As Bremer explained, ENERGY STAR comprises four different areas: a product side, a residential side, a commercial side and an industrial side. The IBIE panel focused on the industrial aspects of the energy-saving initiative in an area represented by 750 partners and 30 different sectors, including food. In addition, the program has a voluntary side and a regulated side. “When we look at ENERGY STAR as a whole, we are really looking at the management of the program or the strategy side,” Bremer explained.

The challenge

Looking at best practices, the ENERGY STAR Energy Guide aims to offer a variety of ideas, which can be used to optimize energy consumption in bakery plants, including energy performance indicators (EPIs) and local energy guides. “The information in this Energy Guide is intended to help energy and plant managers in the U.S. baking industry reduce energy and water consumption in a cost-effective manner while maintaining the quality of products manufactured,” according to the program’s website.

The ENERGY STAR Challenge means committing to a 10% reduction in energy intensity over a five-year period. Since 2010, 163 bakery plants have taken the challenge, with 14 bakeries having achieved this five-year goal, reducing their energy consumption by almost 20% on average. In addition, certifications started this summer, one of the means of recognition that program goals have been achieved.

Bimbo Bakeries USA

One of the first steps that a bakery should take in an effort to save energy is to simply “check your bill,” Jim McKeown, director environment/energy affairs, Bimbo Bakeries USA said. Sometimes, there are numerous costs that can be avoided and energy management can uncover aspects that are not necessarily obvious at first glance.

For example, 20% of the energy used is spent towards compressed air, McKeown observed. Although a lot of work, there is real value in what you can save, not only in terms of the environmental impact, but also regarding “real dollars”, or concrete and significant financial earnings. Of its 58 plants in the US, 10 have met the challenge, demonstrating that Bimbo is very engaged in this program.

Turano Baking Company

“Turano Baking Company is a family-operated company operating out of Chicago. It is a third-generation bakery with four baking facilities throughout the country. As its headquarter is over 50 years old, which has been expanded several times over the years, Turano’s policy is that everyone can contribute to energy saving,” says Anthony Turano, director of administration. “Everybody can turn off a light, everybody can look for new savings throughout the facility, especially when it comes to hearth baking, which is typically more energy-intense.” Hearth baking will use a boiler, air compressors and more chilling because of proofing requirements, he shared his perspective: all these factors ultimately leading to higher energy intensity. “EPI standards are very high and meeting the challenge is an opportunity to involve the entire staff in working together,” Turano added.

Northeast Foods

Northeast Foods has 12 plants and out of its total production, 40% is for the fast food chain (including McDonald’s). Their sustainability program started in 2006, “ahead of the curve,” according to Dennis Colliton, VP, engineering, Northeast Foods, which translated into big savings for the company. In 2011, Northeast Foods signed up to the EPI challenge. Today, new savings opportunities have become harder to find, he says, thanks to having eliminated “the low-hanging fruit” years ago. But they continue to search new technologies and ideas and share best practice in order to find the next level of savings. “As you get into these programs, the biggest thing [to do] is measure, measure, measure,” Colliton stresses. “You have to track your savings.”

First certified bakeries

The ABA and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the 18 most energy-efficient commercial bread and roll bakeries in the US at IBIE: bakeries that met the strict energy performance levels set by the EPA. “ABA congratulates the first of our members to be recognized as ENERGY STAR certified,” said Robb MacKie, ABA president and CEO.

By being more efficient than average performing plants, these bakeries prevented more than 35,294 metric tons (CO2e) of greenhouse gas emissions and saved more than 686,000 MMBtus in energy – equal to the average annual energy use of more than 3,650 households.

“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s industrial facilities is critical to protecting our environment,” said Jean Lupinacci, chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial Branch. “From the plant floor to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their facilities more efficient and earning the EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification.”

“The ABA signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the US EPA to promote increased energy efficiency for the baking industry through the Agency’s ENERGY STAR program,” said Rasma Zvaners, ABA policy director. “Our goal was to collaborate and provide valuable energy management tools to help promote increased energy efficiency among the US baking industry. We are delighted with the success to date and look forward to our continued productive partnership efforts.”

To earn ENERGY STAR certification, bakeries had to demonstrate a top level of energy efficiency by scoring 75 or higher on the ENERGY STAR Commercial Bread and Roll Bakeries EPI, a tool that compares an individual bakery’s energy performance against the rest of the industry.

The following plants were recognized: Automatic Rolls of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD; Bama Frozen Dough, Tulsa, OK; Bama Pie, Tulsa, OK; Bimbo Bakeries Oconomowoc, Milwaukee, WI; Bimbo Bakeries Escondido, San Diego, CA; Bimbo Bakeries Gastonia, Charlotte, NC; Bimbo Bakeries Olean, Olean, NY; Bimbo Bakeries Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ; Bimbo Bakeries Reading, Reading, PA; Bimbo Bakeries San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA; Flowers Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge, LA; Flowers El Paso, El Paso, TX; Flowers Lynchburg, Lynchburg, VA; Flowers New Orleans, New Orleans, LA; Flowers Modesto, Modesto, CA; Flowers Norfolk, Norfolk, VA; Flowers Tolleson, Tolleson, AZ; Klosterman Bakery, Morristown, IN.

Conclusions

“It’s simply the right thing to do: the right thing to do for your customers, for the environment and for your company as a whole. In Washington, at some point, we are going to see a carbon tax, which means much more money spent than what would be invested into an energy efficiency strategy,” concluded the Bimbo Bakeries USA representative.

Energy Star guide – at a glance

The US baking industry, defined in the Energy Guide in terms of facilities engaged in the manufacture of commercial bakery products, such as breads, rolls, frozen cakes, pies, pastries, and cookies and crackers, consumes over USD800m worth of purchased fuels and electricity per year. Energy efficiency improvement is an important way to reduce these costs and increase predictable earnings, especially in times of high energy price volatility. There are several opportunities available at individual plants to reduce energy consumption in a cost-effective manner. The Energy Guide discusses energy efficiency practices and energy-efficient technologies that can be implemented at the component, process, facility and organizational levels.