Heinz’s massive baked bean plant in Wigan and the giant Stanlow oil refinery in Cheshire have both won Government backing to help them go green.
Industry minister Sarah Jones says the latest round of Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) cash is aimed at “helping some of Britain’s favourite businesses to cut their carbon emissions” – and the scheme is now backing several North West businesses.
Kraft Heinz secured £2.5m from the fund towards a £7.2m heat pump project at its Kitt Green plant, which is one of Europe’s biggest food factories.
Under the project, it will change the way it heats the water it uses to blanch beans and to cook spaghetti hoops. Instead of burning fossil fuels, it will install heat pumps to reuse heat generated in other parts of the site.
Saji Jacob, head of west Europe supply chain at Heinz, said: “The Industrial Energy Transformation Fund has enabled this energy efficiency project to become a reality at our largest food manufacturing plant in Europe.
“It represents a critical step in our decarbonisation journey towards Net Zero. The Ƶ business recognises the significance of the investment and is committed to further utilising this technology across our company.”
This new plan follows news last year that Heinz to generate more than half of the gas it uses at the Wigan site.
In total, the Government is supporting 25 emissions-cutting projects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland with £51.9m in funding through its Plan for Change to drive economic growth.
Four projects around the giant Stanlow energy cluster in Cheshire secured funding through the IETF. Essar Oil Ƶ, which runs the Stanlow refinery, secured £1.8m towards a £7.4m carbon capture study as well as £427,000 towards a £1.7m project to switch to low-carbon hydrogen.
Neighbouring glassmaker Encirc secured £2.5m towards its £4.4m plan to deploy a hydrogen fuel system for glass furnaces. Encirc also secured £1.2m towards a £2.4m study on the feasibility of hydrogen-hybrid furnace upgrade at Elton.
Last October, the Prime Minister and Chancellor visited Encirc glass plant in to announce £22bn in support for two carbon capture and storage (CCS) schemes, including Hynet, which stretches across the North West and North Wales.
Encirc's managing director Sean Murphy said: “As a business with sustainability at its core, Encirc has been a longtime innovator in finding ways to reduce our carbon footprint, both on the manufacturing process as well as in logistics and supply chain. The regional focus is a sign of confidence for businesses here in the north west, and we hope further afield." He added: "We look forward to working with Ƶ Government on a range of issues to ensure that the right conditions are in place to enable the sort of inclusive green growth that benefits everyone across society.”
Warrington-based recycler Novelis has secured £14m towards the £63m expansion of its Latchford Locks site. The plans, first announced last year, will double the plant’s capacity for recycling used beverage cans. Novelis says it will help it to reduce the plant’s carbon emissions by more than 350,000 tonnes.
Announcing the project last July, Allan Sweeney, plant manager of Novelis Latchford, said: “Thanks to technological developments, we will be able to recycle all types of UBC scrap, fostering low-carbon and high-recycled content products that support not only our own ambitious sustainability goals, but those of our customers as well.”
Taylor's Farm Shop, of Ormskirk, West Lancashire, secured £988,000 towards a £1.4m combined heat and power (CHP) project.
Minister for Industry Sarah Jones said: “This Government’s Plan for Change is about delivering what working people want to see in this country. In energy, that means replacing the Ƶ’s dependency on insecure fossil fuel markets with the clean homegrown power we need to protect consumers and grow our economy.
“That’s why we’ve already kickstarted a national carbon capture industry, secured a record amount of new renewable energy projects and published a plan for clean power by 2030 – genuine climate action which will create growth and jobs at the same time.
“Now, we’re helping some of Britain’s favourite businesses to cut their carbon emissions too, while continuing to make the products we love – from baked beans to beer and coffee – with more than £50m in government grants.
“Eight of these projects are in the North West – from Novelis aluminium facility in Warrington, to Encirc glass manufacturing in Cheshire – helping to decarbonise and create jobs around Manchester.
“And thanks to our support, Heinz’s factory in Wigan – the largest in Europe – is installing heat pumps so they can reuse their own waste heat to blanch beans and boil spaghetti hoops."
The minister added: “Low carbon technologies help firms save on their energy bills and production costs, meaning consumers could benefit from lower prices.
“So, instead of choosing between sustainability and economic growth, we're putting businesses at the heart of our mission to become a clean energy superpower and providing the reliable and affordable energy this country needs to thrive.”
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