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CSR
Half-Yearly CO₂ Report August 2025
Heerenveen
In the past six months, a lot of insights have been gained through measuring electricity consumption, which has gradually reduced the difference between purchased energy and consumed energy. Processes are monitored with a power analyzer, allowing us to visualize power peaks and troughs over extended periods.
At present, approximately 70% of the total electricity consumption in Heerenveen has been mapped using the power analyzer and frequency controllers. This provides a much clearer understanding of where electricity is used and how it could potentially be reduced.
In addition to these initiatives, we are closely examining heat losses and exploring how residual heat can be used to optimize processes and reduce CO₂ emissions. Specifically, several projects have been started to reduce electricity consumption:
- Replacing hydraulic pumps (1 kW) with servomotors (0.25 kW), reducing energy consumption to 75% of the original machines. This calculation does not take into account that a hydraulic pump runs continuously, whereas the servomotor consumes no electricity when not in use. This results in a saving of 4,500 kWh/year.
- Replacing the ice water circulation valve with a frequency-controlled pump. This provides an estimated saving of approximately 10,000 kWh/year.
- The installation of additional solar panels has been completed, with 740 panels installed, generating approximately 280,000 kWh/year.
Feeding electricity back into the grid is currently not possible in Heerenveen due to network capacity limitations. There are now two large solar panel fields, each connected separately. Together with the installer, a system has been designed where the fields first supply electricity to each other. Unused electricity is first sent to the other field. Only when both fields simultaneously draw no electricity are they switched off.
By reducing the cleaning time of the evaporator, we can save 10 minutes per cleaning. Approximately 500 cleanings are performed each year. This totals 500 × 10 minutes = 83.3 hours. Current electricity consumption per cleaning is 75 kW, which would result in a saving of 6,250 kWh/year.
Katwoude
In Katwoude, a new CIP installation will be put into operation in the coming six months. The tanks are insulated, which helps retain more heat during storage. The pumps have been upgraded from IE2 without a frequency controller to IE3 with a frequency controller. This will also result in energy savings, although it is still too early to estimate the exact amount. The CIP installation is equipped with a pre-rinse tank, where post-rinse water is collected for reuse.
Dairy Farming
Currently, the ditch water level of 60 hectares of peat meadow areas at Henri Willig is being raised by approximately 20 cm. This corresponds to a CO₂ reduction of approximately 11 tons per hectare, resulting in a total reduction of 660 tons of CO₂.
Total
In total, a saving of 300,750 kWh/year has been realized in Heerenveen, equivalent to 176,217 kg CO₂. Together with the reductions from dairy farming in Katwoude, the total expected CO₂ saving is 835 tons per year.
