Danone invests $40 million into achieving carbon neutrality

Danone has made a $40 million investment in its Nutricia spray drying plant, in a step towards achieving zero net carbon dioxide emissions by 2021. This milestone will be achieved through the installation of a $30 million biomass boiler to reduce the plant’s CO₂ emissions by 20,000 times per year, the equivalent of removing 60,000 cars from New Zealand’s roads.

The Nutricia spray drying plant is located in the Otago region of the South Island, and processes raw milk sourced from 18 local farms into powder. The powder is then used as the base for production of infant milk formula (IMF) brands including Aptamil and Karicare.

The process of spray drying — converting milk into a dry powder through the application of heat — is commonly performed with gas or coal-powered boilers, with 85% of the plant’s energy consumption coming from steam production. Conversely, Danone’s biomass boiler will deliver a positive environmental and economic impact, as it is powered by sustainable, locally sourced wood fuels.

Veolia will be responsible for designing and managing the construction of the biomass boiler. Danone’s investment in the plant also includes the installation of a new water treatment plant to treat wastewater, in accordance with Danone’s global clean water standards.

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