Reducing our carbon footprint
In the reduction of the carbon footprint, minimizing emissions from our operations, reduction of value chain emissions and improving our resource efficiency have a leading role.
Towards carbon neutral production sites
Carbon dioxide emissions from own production originate mostly from production plants. The most substantial emission sources at a production plant are heating, steam and electricity consumption. Our product plant in Iisalmi uses 100% green electricity. The electricity has EKOenergy ecolabel, an environmental label established by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation.
Steam and heat is produced with biopower plant using wood chips sourced and the mix of bark and sawdust from nearby areas. Bio-oil is used as reserve power. In addition, use of fossil fuels have been replaced by electric trucks and conveyor systems. Olvi Iisalmi brewery will be the first carbon neutral brewery in Olvi Group during 2023.
Olvi has complied with a voluntary energy efficiency agreement system for the food industry since 2003. The agreement is based on the EU Energy Services Directive and it involves agreeing on a framework for continuous and systematic improvements in energy efficiency. Olvi focuses on optimization of premise’s heating and ventilation and to adaptable supervision of these circumstances, for example. The system is valid until the end of 2026.
We also develop the recovery and recycling of heating from cooling process back to production process. We have increased LED lighting and intelligent lighting control. We will further study opportunities to use renewable energy, such as solar panels. Furthermore, we focus on resource efficiency in all our operations.
Towards carbon neutral value chain
Carbon dioxide emissions of Olvi derive in the future from the value chain. A significant portion, 76%, of the value chain’s emissions in 2021 were emissions generated by purchased materials and services. The second- most significant sources of emission consist of departing and arriving transports.
Development done in cooperation with value-chain partners is the best way for us to reduce the emissions of purchased materials. Increasing the use of recycled materials constitutes an important step in achieving emission reductions. Increasing resource efficiency also plays a key role. Olvi will also begin operating a carbon dioxide recovery plant in 2023, which will enable us to recover and reuse the carbon dioxide generated during fermentation.
We aim to minimise the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and distribution by optimizing distribution chains and routes, as well as the distribution frequency, and by loading lorries more efficiently. As an example, thanks to enhanced collection of energy waste, we have reduced the transport emissions by replacing open skips with scrap crushers and waste compactors. We are also exploring opportunities for a transition to fossil-free fuels. We also pay attention to emissions from commuting and business travel.
Improving our work
We are further developing our emission reporting to better identify emissions from various production phases and other operations. We report emissions in detail through independent CDP climate change reporting, in which we reached B grade 2022 while the average for our industry was C. Olvi Group is also committed to set Science Based Targets (SBT) during 2023 for ensuring effective emissions reduction actions.