Industrial Heat Pumps Deliver Sustainability, Lifecycle Benefits in Food and Beverage Industry

The food and beverage industry faces increasing pressure to reduce scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. In addition to the need to comply with national and regional regulations, many organizations have set internal sustainability targets as part of their environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, industrial heat pumps offer significant decarbonization potential to many operations globally. Some of the world’s leading food processors are already using them to cut energy costs by as much as 50 percent while reducing water consumption by millions of liters annually. And unlike many other promising sustainability solutions, heat pumps are a proven, mature technology that’s commercially available today.

Putting waste heat to work

Food and beverage processing operations use industrial refrigeration systems to extract enormous amounts of heat from the products they produce. The heat absorbed is typically expelled into the atmosphere through a cooling tower. As a result, considerable amounts of heat, energy and water are wasted worldwide every day.

Ironically, many of these same facilities also require large volumes of hot water for their processes and wash-downs. Today, the hot water in these plants is produced with fossil fuel boilers which are inefficient, expensive to operate, and contribute to high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Industrial heat pumps can help to address these issues with a single solution. By repurposing the heat generated from refrigeration, they can save millions of liters of water and minimize emissions while operating three to five times more efficiently than fossil fuel boilers.

The COP is king

When determining whether a heat pump system is right for your operation, the most important variable to consider is the coefficient of performance (COP). Although the sticker price of a heat pump is likely to be higher than a comparable gas-fired boiler, its COP will typically be three to five times better. This makes the COP a force multiplier to be factored into your payback calculations. The lower the electricity costs of heat pump operation compared to boiler fuel costs, the more advantageous a heat pump is likely to be — and the faster you’ll see return on investment (ROI).

Sustainability can benefit your bottom line

In addition to operational cost savings, tax incentives are likely available for heat pump systems. Two prominent examples include the following:

• The European Commission’s REPowerEU plan, launched in 2022, encourages EU member states to incentivize switching to heat pumps with measures like reduced value-added tax (VAT) rates.
• In the U.S., heat pumps can help you become eligible for credits through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), such as the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit (48C) Program.

Another factor to consider is whether natural gas will be a viable long-term option in your region. Stay informed about proposed legislation in your region that could impact fossil fuel boilers, especially if new tax or financial incentives are being considered.

Service technicians can adapt quickly

Because heat pumps operate by reversing the refrigeration cycle, they closely resemble many refrigeration systems commonly used in food and beverage operations. Technicians with experience in industrial refrigeration can quickly acquire the skills necessary to maintain industrial heat pump systems. If you can service a refrigeration compressor, you can readily learn to service a heat pump compressor.

Sustainability meets cost efficiency

Whether you’re retrofitting or building a new facility, industrial heat pumps combine measurable sustainability benefits with a strong business case in many regions. Vilter by Copeland was an early pioneer in industrial heat pump technology. Today, we’re continuing our legacy of innovation with the development of modular and scalable solutions. To learn more about how we can benefit your processing operations, visit our Industrial Heat Pumps page.