Sustainable Food Processing is the demand of modern-day industry amid the depletion of conventional fossil fuels. The pressure of increasing population, urbanization, and rising food demands with growing energy needs has led to the depletion of conventional fossil fuels at a rapid rate. Hence, renewable energy sources are continuously replacing conventional sources across the sector. There has been continuous innovation in food processing and the use of renewables is also adopted in this niche.
Sustainable Food Processing: Embracing Renewables in Food Systems
The application of different Renewable Energy Sources (RES) such as solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, biomass energy, etc. has started for food processing. Indian Food Processing Industries are also embracing the renewables cutting the cost of their energy consumption. Food Processing Industry uses heat generated from solar and geothermal energy for heating, evaporation, distillation, sterilization, and pasteurization of beverages in addition to food drying. Further, various renewable energy sources are being used by food processors to generate electricity in their facilities.
Solar Power
This renewable energy source is being variably used by the food processing industry for different operations and processes. Companies across the food processing industry are continuously working to install photovoltaic cells to generate electricity. It decreases the carbon footprint and reduces the cost of operation. Solar power has been used following operations:
- Solar Drying
- Solar Heating
- Solar Air Collectors
Wind Energy
Wind energy has been traditionally used in food processing in varieties of operations. In the regions of optimal wind resources, food processors use this form of energy for operations such as grinding, mixing blending, etc. Food processors use windmills to grind grains such as wheat, corn, and barley, into flour. It reduces the reliance on fossil fuels with a more sustainable production process. This form of energy is invariably used to power mixers and blenders in food processing. It reduces the energy costs and improves sustainability. Wind-powered water pumping systems are used by food processors to draw water continuously without using electricity. Food processing plants can continuously use wind-generated electricity to cater to their energy needs in offices, transportation, and storage.
Biomass and Bioenergy
This renewable energy resource on the one hand promotes sustainable production and on the other hand, promotes a circular economy. The following are different uses of biomass and bioenergy in food processing. Food processors use this energy resource for food drying and heating during processing. The use of biomass for electricity generation has gained momentum in recent years. This energy is used for supporting warehousing and cold chain. Further, biofuels derived from biomass can be used for transportation of the processed food. Biomass residues have been used as ‘food ingredients’ for making supplements. Algal Biomass has been extensively used as an alternate source of protein across the world.
Geothermal Energy
Food Processors use this energy in drying, pasteurizing, sterilizing, and heating. Geothermal hot water is a sustainable medium for milk pasteurization Sterilizing. The use of geothermal energy decreases fungus infections in food systems. It also cuts fuel costs by up to 80 percent in greenhouses.
Coupling Food Processing With Renewables in India
India’s food processing industry is embracing renewable energy sources like solar power, biomass, and wind energy to power their operations. Due to the vast potential of India in the renewable energy domain, the industry is invariably using solar energy to generate electricity for heating, cooling, and machinery, using agricultural waste as biomass fuel for energy generation, and onshore and offshore wind potential in harnessing wind energy for food processing units. Various food processing companies in India have adopted renewable energy solutions for sustainable production. Here are a few examples of such innovation.
Haldiram’s: Quest for Sustainable Production
Haldiram, a prominent Indian company in food and snacks in India with global fame uses renewable resources like solar power and methane digesters to reduce its carbon footprint.
Solar Power
The company has installed solar power plants at its factories to reduce its reliance on the main grid. Haldiram installed a 1.5 MW solar power plant at its Nagpur factory to aid in making Haldiram’s bhujia. The company also installed a 10 MW solar PV power project in Telangana.
Methane Digesters
To promote a ‘Circular Economy’ and sustainable production process Haldiram uses methane digesters to recycle organic waste from its food production into fuel. It then uses it for the plants’ burners. The Gurgaon unit of Haldiram uses this state-of-the-art technology to save over one crore rupees in energy costs by using recycled methane.
PepsiCo India: Decreasing Carbon Footprints with Sustainable Production
PepsiCo India has taken several steps to reduce their carbon footprint by using renewable resources. The company is building a plant in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh which will run solely on renewable energy sources like solar power. PepsiCo India uses a mix of solar and wind power to achieve their renewable energy goals.
Policies: Renewables in National and International Food Processing Domain
India’s Policies to Promote Renewable Energy in Food Processing
India has been incentivizing the food industry from farm to fork to adopt sustainable energy sources for the production process and decrease carbon footprints. The central and state governments have invariably announced several measures for the same.
Solar Subsidies
- The central government provides solar subsidies to encourage the public and businesses to use cleaner resources and promote the use of solar power in the food industry.
Subsidy on Installation of Solar Power Plant
- The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) provides a 30% subsidy for small and micro enterprises for using solar energy in the production process.
- It also provides a 30% depreciation benefit for businesses that choose to install solar panels on their premises.
- The state government of Uttar Pradesh announced a 50 percent subsidy for promoting the establishment of solar-powered food processing units.
- The government of Andhra Pradesh incentivizes farmers or agriculturists to install solar panels on their land by giving them subsidies.
National Bio Energy Programme
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) launched the National Bioenergy Programme to promote biomass utilization. It promotes the use of biomass for power generation, Biogas/BioCNG generation, and Briquette/Pellet manufacturing. As the food processing industry is the topmost industry for biomass generation, it can benefit from it. It includes three components:
1. Waste to Energy Program
It aims to set up waste-to-energy projects for the generation of Biogas/BioCNG/Power/producer or syngas from agri-wastes or industrial wastes.
2. Biomass Program
It aims to support the setting up of Biomass Briquette/Pellet manufacturing plants and Biomass (non-bagasse) based cogeneration projects in the country.
3. Biogas Program
It aims to support setting up of biogas plants for clean cooking fuel, lighting, meeting thermal and small power needs
Global Initiatives to Inculcate Renewables in Food Processing
Bioenergy to Food Security Approach
It is an initiative of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) to support countries in designing and implementing sustainable bioenergy policies and strategies. The approach promotes food and energy security and contributes to agricultural and rural development. FAO assisted India in producing biofuels from agricultural and food processing wastes to make biofuels.
RE100
RE100 is the global corporate renewable energy initiative. It aims to bring together hundreds of large and ambitious businesses committed to using 100% renewable electricity by 2050. It aims to accelerate the transition to zero carbon grids shortly.
International Best Practices
Case Study: “Solar-Powered Sesame Oil Production” in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is among the top ten sesame producers in the world. It has adopted a decentralized solar-powered oil production system for sesame oil production in rural areas at the cooperative level.
Case Study: Tomato Processing with Solar Energy in Ethiopia
The Tigray Agricultural Marketing Promotion Agency (TAMPA) of Ethiopia in collaboration with the Sustainable Land Management Program (GIZ SLMP) started tomato processing using renewable energy by supporting micro and small enterprises. The processing plant consists of a solar reflector for tomato processing, a solar panel, an inverter, and acid batteries. The project allows packing processed tomatoes in sealed bags. It has helped the Ethiopian tomato production of small-scale enterprises to increase its revenues by using a solar processing plant for tomato products.
Challenges in Adopting Renewable Energy in the Food Processing Industry
Weather Dependence
Food Processors using renewable energy sources face challenges as the Sun and Wind are intermittent and dependent on weather conditions. Hence, inconsistent energy generation disrupts the processes. It further needs energy storage systems which raises the cost.
High Input Cost
The installation of renewable power systems increases expenses and increases the input cost of the food processing industry.
Tailor-Made Technological Solutions
The food processors need tailor-made solutions to cater to the specific needs of the food processing industries. It also requires training for the workers to work on newly developed technology.
Way Forward: Embracing Sustainable Food Processing for Greener Future
Sustainable Production is one of the important sustainable development goals that countries across the world are focussing on achieving. Further, food processing industries which are one of the largest producers of biomass have the ability to switch to renewable energy for production and processing. India and global policymakers must strive hard to attain sustainable development goals by incorporating renewable energy in food production processes.