Kraft Heinz, a leading global food and beverage company, has taken a significant leap towards its environmental goals by partnering with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The company announced that it is in negotiations to receive up to $170 million in federal funding.
This substantial investment is earmarked for implementing clean energy projects across 10 of Kraft Heinz’s US manufacturing plants. This initiative, known as “The Delicious Decarbonization Through Integrated Electrification and Energy Storage” project, represents Kraft Heinz’s largest foray into federally supported environmental sustainability efforts.
With this, Kraft Heinz aims to slash its annual emissions by more than 99% from the levels recorded in 2022. It aligns with Kraft Heinz’s commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Marcos Eloi Lima, chief procurement and sustainability officer, expressed enthusiasm about the federal investment, highlighting it as a crucial resource to enhance energy efficiency and minimize emissions at its plants.
“This investment recognizes our continued efforts to reduce our environmental footprint, and we’re eager to get started,” Lima stated, underscoring the company’s dedication to sustainable practices.
Kraft Heinz: Boosting clean energy
The funded projects will see the implementation of a diverse array of clean energy technologies across the selected plants. These technologies include but are not limited to, heat pumps, electric heaters, electric boilers, anaerobic digesters, biogas boilers, solar thermal systems, solar photovoltaic panels, and thermal energy storage systems.
An estimated 500 construction jobs are anticipated to be created across the 10 plant sites due to this project. Alongside this, employees will have the opportunity to gain new skills and training relevant to the cutting-edge technologies being deployed.
The 10 sites for clean energy application include Champaign, Ill.; Columbia, Mo.; Fremont, Ohio; Holland, Mich.; Kendallville, Ind.; Lowville, N.Y.; Mason City, Iowa; Muscatine, Iowa; New Ulm, Minn.; and Winchester, Va.
Helen Davis, SVP and head of North America operations at Kraft Heinz, highlighted the broader impacts of this initiative. “I’m proud of the impact this project and award will have on our facilities, but also on our current and future workforce and the communities that surround our operations,” she stated.
The project is estimated to cause a 23% overall decline in energy usage, a 97% reduction in natural gas consumption, and a 3% decrease in total water usage by 2030 against a 2022 baseline. Such achievements would significantly contribute to Kraft Heinz’s broader ESG goals.
The company has engaged with ENGIE Impact, which provides strategic consulting, global reporting and implementation support to corporations, governmental organizations, and municipalities on their net-zero journeys.
Furthermore, Kraft Heinz is participating in the US DOE’s Better Climate Challenge, and Renewable Thermal Collaborative to exchange ideas and share repeatable models for decarbonization across the industry.
