Danone New Zealand completes switch to biomass boiler to power South Island spray drying plant with renewable energy

• New Zealand’s first dairy spray drying plant powered exclusively by biomass fuel[1]
  
• Fueled by locally sourced sustainable forestry waste, the now fully commissioned biomass boiler will reduce CO2 emissions by 20,000 tonnes per year[2]

Danone’s Balclutha spray drying plant processes fresh milk sourced from twenty local farms into powder that is used as the base for production of leading baby formula brands including Aptamil and Karicare. Boilers play a central role in spray drying – the process of converting milk into a dry powder through the application of heat – with around 85% of the entire plant’s energy consumption coming from steam production. Unlike gas or the more common coal-powered fossil fuel boilers in New Zealand, Danone’s biomass boiler is powered by locally-sourced wood residues from sustainably-managed forests, supplying the plant with indigenous, renewable energy. The biomass project forms part of Danone’s landmark global Re-Fuel energy excellence program, with an ambition to transition to competitive, resilient, and renewable sources of energy.