Sweet energy savings

17 January 2011 – Confectionery manufacturer Tangerine has achieved sweet savings on energy after installing energy efficient combined heat and power (CHP) systems from ENER-G at its Pontefract production site in West Yorkshire – where famous brands such as Wilkinson’s Pontefract cakes and Butterkist Popcorn are made.

Combined heat and power (CHP) – the simultaneous generation of electricity and useful heat is almost twice as efficient as conventional power generation as the majority of heat is recovered and used on site, rather than wasted into the atmosphere. There is also less transmission loss by avoiding the transportation of electricity along many miles of electrical distribution cables. The Typical pay back period on CHP technology varies between two to four years.

Tangerine will achieve cost savings of almost £200,000 and save 630 tonnes of carbon per annum. The two-phase involved the installation of an ENER-G 500kWe cogeneration unit in September 2010, followed by a 230kWe trigeneration system to be commissioned in February 2011. The smaller unit will provide electricity, heating and cooling to supply a second production facility.

Tangerine has utilised ENER-G’s discount energy purchase scheme which entails no capital outlay for the business. The contract is structured to deliver low-cost, low-carbon energy onsite thus reducing the facility’s carbon footprint whilst improving profitability. ENER-G is also working with Tangerine to develop CHP solutions on a number of other sites. A multi-site roll-out will facilitate a significant carbon reduction which is increasingly important given the advent of the government’s Energy Efficiency Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme.