Energy efficiency in the slaughter and meat processing industry—opportunities for improvements in future energy markets

In the study presented in this paper different energy efficiency measures that can be carried out in a slaughter and meat processing (SMP) plant were evaluated both in terms of economy and CO2 emission reduction for four different future energy market developments. It was found that it is economically interesting to invest in an increased heat exchanger network or heat pumps in the fictitious non-integrated plants studied and that between 5% and 35% of the total CO2 emissions can be saved. The most cost effective way of reducing CO2 emissions was found to be switching fuel from heavy fuel oil to natural gas or wood chips. For the studied plants that are already heat integrated it was shown that investing in a new heat pump can be economically interesting and can reduce CO2 emissions.The profitability of investing in a combined heat and power (CHP) unit for the SMP plants was also investigated and found to be smaller than extended heat recovery or new heat pumps in the studied plants. However, the payback period for CHP units installed at an ecocyclic industrial park, consisting of an SMP plant and for example a Swedish dairy, was found to be short enough to be interesting.