PepsiCo aimed to reduce emissions below regulatory limits by replacing its 25 MW gas-fired boiler with a sustainable thermal energy storage system.
The project had some challenges: managing costs
and pioneering the integration of thermal storage into the plant
Defining the scope strategically and ensuring financial feasibility were key to its success.
and permitting services for the transition to a green thermal energy system
The Volt Project is the first of its kind in the Netherlands—a pioneering pilot for PepsiCo, Eneco, and Kraftblock in using green thermal energy at an industrial scale.
the system will power production with renewable energy
cutting 98% of CO₂ emissions and saving thousands of tons annually
Despite financial and regulatory challenges
Arup’s expertise in industrial decarbonisation ensured that the project remained viable.
this innovative approach has set a new standard for sustainable manufacturing
demonstrating how food production can transition to net zero while maintaining operations
Arup provided engineering and design services to support PepsiCo’s transition to a green thermal energy system
We designed the new potato intake building and starch collection canopy
Our civil engineers developed cable routing for the new power infrastructure and coordinated with PepsiCo’s process consultant
and a pipe bridge for thermal oil transport
Our engineers integrated Kraftblock’s thermal storage system
while HVAC and ventilation solutions improved plant efficiency
Our team assessed demolition impacts and supervised construction to integrate new infrastructure with plant operations
reducing the project timeline from 70 to 28 weeks.
If you'd like to speak to one of our industry and manufacturing experts about any of the issues raised on this page or a potential collaboration then please get in touch by completing the form
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Dutch architecture practice Space Encounters has taken a property built in the 1980s and reworked it to become suitable for a growing family
“AB House” features a distinctive pitched roof
the home is set within an area that is divided into hundreds of small islands – each of these pieces of land occupied by one family home
The architects saw the project as a chance to make the house more suitable for modern-day living while updating its sustainable credentials
yet distinct example of how living in the countryside can be made more sustainable and adapted to changing demands for contemporary living,” they say
Archive HOUSING
News & Analysis on Food & Beverage Development & Technology
23-May-2023 Last updated on 23-May-2023 at 14:17 GMT
Powering food and drink manufacturing processes with green energy, instead of fossil fuels, significantly reduces a company’s carbon footprint. But relying solely on green energy is a challenge: at some periods of the day the sun and wind is unable to generate enough energy to power manufacturing processes, while at others, a surplus is produced.
This was a concern for snacks and drinks major PepsiCo, who has been looking to integrate more renewable energy into its Broek op Langedijk production plant – where the company makes Lay’s and Cheetos crisp products – in the Netherlands.
“We needed to disconnect from [natural gas] and move to renewable energy,” recalled Katharina Stenholm, PepsiCo’s outgoing SVP chief sustainability officer, Europe. But at the same time, the solution had to be ‘cost competitive’. “There is obviously a lot of inflation going into food prices, so we are determined to find sustainable solutions that do not imply higher costs.”
The solution was developed in collaboration with PepsiCo’s energy partner Eneco, and leverages technology from German start-up Kraftblock: a thermal battery that stores excess green energy for later use.
Storing excess green energy with thermal batteries
Kraftblock’s technology works thanks to an ‘innovative’ material capable of storing temperatures up to 1,300˚C. Once heat is transferred from the heat transfer medium – in PepsiCo’s case, from hot air heated by wind energy – to the storage system, it can be used for a period of up to two weeks. At the Broek op Langedijk site, the stored energy is being used to heat thermal oil, which in turn, heats cooking oil to fry PepsiCo crisps.
During the night and in off-peak periods, PepsiCo is now able to source cheaper renewable electricity from North Sea windfarms and convert it to hot air. This heats up Kraftblock’s iron ‘nuggets’ to 800˚C in ‘super’ insulated storage units. In parallel, PepsiCo uses direct electrification to power two of its electric thermal oil boilers.
During the daytime, and peak periods (when energy costs are higher), PepsiCo can switch off its electric thermal oil boilers, extract heat from the storage units in the form of hot air and then use a hot air to thermal oil heat exchanger to supply energy to its production processes.
“We now have the opportunity to store renewable energy, which means we can pull energy at off-peak times when the prices are favourable…and take energy during nights and weekends, even if our demand is not high – to store and use later. That’s the novelty and beauty of this solution,” Stenholm told FoodNavigator.
Replacing natural gas with sustainability electricity will lead to a reduction of around 50% CO2, with the aim of achieving a 98% reduction.
Installing new technology at scale is never an easy process. And as Stenholm explained, the solution, co-developed in partnership with Eneco, was not as simple as ‘taking it off the shelf and plugging it in’.
“The novelty of the technology brings its own challenges,” she told this publication. “Another challenge is when you integrate something into an existing site – it’s always more complicated that at a greenfield site.”
The company’s decarbonisation project aligns with its PepsiCo Positive (pep+) agenda: the snacks major has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 40% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2040. Within its own operations, PepsiCo plans to reduce GHG emissions by 75% by 2030.
Looking to new innovations, such as Kraftblock’s thermal battery technology, is part of the solution, explained Stenholm. “We have teams dedicated to sourcing solutions for the unsolved problems, and it’s probably not a coincidence that we are in the Netherlands – because the Netherlands is a very supportive environment for new innovative technologies.”
When scouting for new solutions, the company is conscious of its supply base, too. Sometimes, PepsiCo’s traditional suppliers will develop a new solution, but more often the ‘breakthrough’ technologies come from start-ups, she explained. “A company like PepsiCo has the opportunity to help start-ups with great ideas [link with] established players with an industrial footprint.
“We can help them come together and [create] something that scales faster that a start-up could perhaps do themselves.”
“PepsiCo has long had a strong vision and commitment to its sustainability agenda and pep+ provides the entire organisation with a clear roadmap to sustainably grow and bring value to the planet and people,” Jagannathan commented. “We’re taking significant action to deliver on that vision and I look forward to continuing my work embedding pep+ into our decision making and wider business strategy.”
‘Digitization is an unstoppable trend’: Why PepsiCo is digitalising food banks across Spain05-Apr-2023By Oliver MorrisonAs part of the Community Program of the PepsiCo Foundation in Spain, PepsiCo has been supporting the digital transformation of the biggest food bank in Madrid.
PepsiCo trails paper-based packaging for Walkers Baked08-Mar-2023By Gill HyslopThe snacking giant is testing paper-based outer packaging on its Walkers Baked 6-bag multipacks, following a successful trial with Walkers 22- and 24-bag multipacks last year.
Recent success for Welsh food and drink as it targets international marketsPaid for and content provided by Welsh Government
Mastering mouthfeel: The importance of mouthfeel in making brands thrivePaid for and in partnership with Tate & Lyle
Rethinking eggs for a resilient food future a ‘matter of necessity’Paid for and content provided by CSM Group (CSM Ingredients & HIFOOD)
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PepsiCo produces potato chips in Broek op Langedijk in the Netherlands
the fragile products are packed and stacked in cartons as secondary packaging
A new system that reliably secures cartons stacked on pallets against slipping was to reduce adhesive costs and customer complaints
The food company opted for hot melt technology from Nordson
Potato potato chips have been produced in Broek op Langedijk in the Netherlands since 1958. The Langedijk farmers wanted to open up another market for their potatoes. Over the years, the plant developed into the largest potato chips factory in Europe. Today, the production facility belongs to the food and beverage group PepsiCo
which employs around 300 people in Broek op Langedijk
the plant produces Lays‘ brand potato chips
stacks them on Euro pallets and delivers them
up to twelve to 14 layers of boxes are stacked on top of each other
„We have three palletizing systems that assemble and stack the cartons fully automatically for transport
we can increase the quantity to 100 pallets per hour
This means that up to 1,200 cartons of different sizes can be processed per hour.“
Project Manager and Spark Line Lead Trainer NWE at PepsiCo
The cardboard pallets are transported fully automatically in the factory and then transported by truck via interim storage to the wholesaler for delivery
As this can sometimes be rough and extremely bumpy
It must also be possible to unstack them easily
PepsiCo used to secure the cartons for transportation with a cold glue system
increasing difficulties had become apparent here
There were repeated uncertainties regarding the handling of the system and the associated equipment
there were high operating costs and difficulties further down the supply chain
for example when already stacked pallets had to be restacked
The cold glue system only allows this within a defined period
and cartons were damaged during subsequent restacking and destacking
In combination with the P4 pressure management system
the ProBlue Flex melter allows the electrical control signal and pressures to be changed
This allows the adhesive application to be programmed depending on the load applied by the cartons
Against this backdrop and with a view to the Group’s goal of manufacturing its products sustainably
those responsible decided to optimize the transport of the pallets and invest in new
An internal team – consisting of Darko Despotovic
and Martijn van Zuydam – drew up the basic specifications as part of a Six Sigma Green Belt project
The new system had to contribute to cost savings in adhesive consumption without compromising pallet stability
The amount of adhesive should be adjustable depending on the carton positions on the pallet
The same applies if a problem repeatedly occurs in a specific pallet position with a certain carton combination in the supply chain
the sustainable solution should contribute to reducing the CO2 footprint
The decision was made in favour of Nordson’s melter technology
as the company was already one of the preferred suppliers and offered its customers comprehensive support in addition to innovative and high-precision application technology
one ProBlue melter was installed per palletizer in combination with the P4 pressure management system
The MiniBlue II SureBead hot melt applicators
PureFlow hoses and RediFlex II holders were also added
The use of plastic film in logistics can be reduced with secure pallet stabilization
PepsiCo in the Netherlands has invested in a new system to prevent cartons from slipping during transportation
„The ProBlue melter has a modular design so that it can be individually adapted to the user’s requirements,“ explains Erik van Gulik
The device is characterized by a fast heat-up time and can optionally be equipped with an adhesive tracking system
which allows users to easily measure and monitor the volume and application of the adhesive
The P4 pressure management system allows the electrical control signal and pressures to be changed and the exact amount of adhesive applied to be monitored
This makes it possible to program the application of the adhesive depending on the load of the cartons
This means that less adhesive is applied to the lower cartons
which are more heavily loaded by the weight of the cartons stacked on top and stand securely
The latter can easily swing back and forth on the pallet during transportation
and must therefore be secured more strongly
The MiniBlue II SureBead hot melt applicators apply the adhesive reliably
and their precise stitch pattern ensures that adhesive is used sparingly
PepsiCo packs its products in cartons of different sizes
which is why four applicators are installed on each palletizer in such a way that they always apply the adhesive to the varying outer edges
taking into account the different carton dimensions
PureFlow hoses use innovative technology to ensure the quality of the adhesive used and thus prevent material impairments such as curing or coking
they help to reduce the downtime that can be caused by hose changes or nozzle blockages
They are installed with RediFlex II holders to ensure optimum flow of the adhesive
PepsiCo put the new melter system into operation in February 2023
„We have achieved our goals and reduced the CO2 footprint thanks to the lower adhesive consumption
but this is not due to the hot melt technology
but to its integration into the company’s overall system
We assume that we can reduce the costs for the adhesives alone by around 40,000 euros per year
we have drastically reduced the number of customer complaints and rework
This alone is expected to save us around 100,000 euros per year.“
http://www.nordson.com
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There are no manned forklift trucks driving about loading truck trailers with boxes of chips at PepsiCo’s Broek op Langedijk site in the Netherlands
the recently installed Joloda loading system saves 30 minutes/load as it pushes 42 pallets of chips into an extra-long truck in one fully automated operation
The Flat Floor Trailerskate Dock flexible loading system
the result of close collaboration between the loading specialist Joloda
the logistics provider Kühne + Nagel and the truck manufacturer Heiwo
features sensor intelligence from SICK as standard
Speed is the key competitive advantage in the world of fast-moving consumer goods
That is why companies are always searching for new ways of automating operational processes to meet the requirements of ‘just-in-time’ philosophy
A prime example is PepsiCo’s fully automated loading system at Broek op Langedijk in the Netherlands
The PepsiCo loading bay is buzzing with activity
“Normal trailers and extra-long trucks are constantly being loaded and unloaded here
They are used for the shuttle to the Kühne + Nagel warehouse in Utrecht,” said Wouter Satijn
The extra-long trucks (also known as Eurocombis) have a 21.5 m load bed - big enough for 42 pallets
“The driver just has to connect his Eurocombi to the loading bay control system and the loading system does the rest,” explained Satijn
In the warehouse everything is geared towards just-in-time processing: the automated palletiser system ensures the individual boxes are placed in perfect alignment on the pallets
Each pallet is then taken to the Joloda automatic dock
“The pallets are arranged in three groups: 16 pallets
then 16 again on the Trailerskate conveyor
“When the roller gate on the auto dock opens
two bracket-mounted SICK DT500 long-range distance sensors come down
They measure the depth of the trailer and check whether the trailer is correctly equipped
because normal 13.6 m trailers are loaded and unloaded here as well as the extra-long Eurocombis: it is important to Kühne + Nagel to be able to decide at the last moment whether whatever trailer is nearby should collect a load from Broek op Langedijk.” Satijn continued: “If the SICK sensors detect a depth of 13.6 m
then 16 plus 10 pallets can be loaded into the vehicle
the system pushes all 42 pallets into the loading tunnel of the Eurocombi.”
The actual loading of the trailer uses the risor plate technology developed by Joloda
Satijn said: “The stationary auto dock and the trailer each have a system with compressed air hoses under the rails
the rails lie slightly lower than floor level
On the rails there are long ‘skates’ on which the pallets lie.” Satijn continued: “The compressed air makes the pallets float a few centimetres above the conveyor and allows them be moved into the truck
Once the pallets have reached the correct position in the trailer
the pressure in the hoses is dropped and the rails sink back below floor level.”
SICK technology fulfils an important role here
Four PBS pressure sensors monitor not only the pressure while the pallets are being lifted
“This ensures that the skates are not retracted until the system is no longer pressurised,” said Satijn
Four PBS pressure sensors from SICK located in the box below the load bed
SICK's DT500 long-range distance sensor
The automated loading system saves an enormous amount of space in comparison to the use of manned forklift trucks: space which can now be used flexibly for other purposes
This also improves safety at work and personal protection
there is hardly any mechanical load on the trailers because of the compressed air lifting system
“It is very important to us that all of the details satisfy our quality requirements
That also applies to components we purchase from third parties
This is why we choose reliable market leaders such as SICK
it is a great advantage that SICK thinks proactively when problem solving,” summarised Wouter Satijn.