AFGC maps out electrification pathway for manufacturers

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has partnered with EnergyLink Services on a new Electrification Fact Sheet, which is designed to equip Australia’s food and grocery manufacturers with clear, actionable pathways to decarbonise.

Electrification presents a significant opportunity for manufacturers, so the fact sheet outlines the key drivers and barriers as well as highlighting electric technologies and measures that have already been successfully deployed.

The easy-to-read fact sheet provides practical tools such as how to build a robust business case, while also identifying financial enablers, energy efficiency opportunities, category-specific case studies and a practical checklist to support detailed project design.

“Food and grocery manufacturers are already taking meaningful steps to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions,” said AFGC CEO Colm Maguire. “This guide builds on that momentum and provides practical direction for the next stage of decarbonisation.”

While progress has been made, natural gas still accounts for around 40% of the sector’s total energy use. Further emissions reductions will require addressing high upfront capital costs and technological constraints — which is explained in the fact sheet.

Emma Peacock, Australian Industry Renewable Heat Accelerator Co-Lead, said practical resources like this are critical to accelerating real-world deployment.

“The food and grocery sector has a significant opportunity to reduce emissions and strengthen energy resilience, and many manufacturers are already taking practical steps to get there. Supporting industrial businesses to undertake early-stage analysis, and with practical resources like this fact sheet, helps accelerate informed investment decisions in one of the largest and least-addressed sources of industrial energy use.”

The AFGC also thanked the Australian Industry Renewable Heat Accelerator for its funding to support the development of the fact sheet and advancing of practical solutions to support the sector’s transition.

The Electrification Fact Sheet can be downloaded here.

Image credit: iStock.com/FG Trade