Energy efficiency synergies in the dairy industry

The European Union’s dairy sector stands as the second-largest agricultural segment within the EU, comprising over 12 % of the overall agricultural output. Dairies exhibit significant ener- gy consumption, contributing to indirect emissions. The dairy sector represents between 2 % to 4 % of the global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) per year. Conventional dairy processes necessitate heating for milk processing and refrigeration for storage, posing a challenge in optimizing energy utilization. In this context, the importance of energy efficiency measures (EEMs) and the utilization of renewable energy sources (RES) becomes pronounced when viewed holistically, considering a coordinated supply chain. This approach is crucial for advancing sustainability across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Among the various EEMs, heat pumps that generate both hot water and cold air emerge as a promising avenue for substantial energy savings. They play a key role in reducing dependency on fossil fuels, primarily oil and gas, and in curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The heat pumps recover heat from the compressor used in the milk production process, which oth- erwise would be released as condensation heat into the air if a heat pump were not employed. This contribution aims to show how integrating heat pumps enables the efficient utilization of waste heat from refrigeration systems to fulfill heating requirements, establishing a synergis- tic relationship between the two processes.