Food Processing Focus

Ocean Spray cranberry bog, focus meeting 2006

The ENERGY STAR Focus on Energy Efficiency in the Food Processing Industry provides food processors with opportunities to overcome barriers to energy efficiency in their businesses. By concentrating on strategic corporate energy management practices and resources that facilitate continuous improvement, industrial participants are able to improve the energy efficiency of their operations. EPA began the food processing focus in 2006 and participation is open to all food processors with plants in the U.S.

Industry-Specific Energy Management Tools & Resources

Opportunities for Improving Energy Efficiency in Food Processing Operations

Fruit and Vegetable Processing Operations

EPA provides an energy guide for fruit and vegetable processing operations. This guide discusses energy efficiency practices and technologies for plant processes and utilities. Developed by EPA through the research skills of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and in coordination with the industry, the guide describes opportunities for reducing energy use in fruit and vegetable processing plants.

• Download the Energy Guide (1.1MB)

ENERGY STAR Food Processing Energy Performance Indicator (EPI)

An EPI for food processing plants which can and freeze fruits or vegetables is being developed by Duke University with input from food processing focus participants. This tool will enable corporate and industry-wide plant benchmarking. The EPI will use basic inputs to provide a percentile ranking of a single plant’s energy efficiency by comparing it to the industry’s average and “efficient” (better than 75% of the plants in the industry) plants.

For more information on the food processing plant EPI, contact Gale Boyd, Duke University at gab7@econ.duke.edu.

Companies also can compare their energy management practices to the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management. The guidelines provide a framework for strategic energy management practices that achieve results. Based on the ENERGY STAR Guidelines, the EPA’s Energy Management Assessment Matrix is a quick and easy way to identify areas for improvement in a corporate energy management program. This tool’s simple format gives energy managers an overview of potential steps for enriching their corporate energy programs.

Annual Food Processing Focus Meetings

The ENERGY STAR Food Processing Focus provides energy directors the opportunity to openly discuss challenges confronting energy management in their corporations. Designed with the industry, annual meetings include topics such as developing and improving corporate energy management, identifying and reducing energy use in food processing, options for improving energy efficiency, and company energy program highlights.