Dairy further boosts its green reputation

• Micro-scale power plant (Volter) covers about 20 % of annual electricity demand
• Plant generates 40-45 kW of electricity and 100 kW heat
• Dual-use plant works as combined dryer and fuel storage

Emåmejeriet/Emå Dairy is a local producer of milk and dairy products in Hultsfred, Sweden. The plant is owned and run by the farmers themselves. They have a strong local and environmental profile with their slogan 'Milk from your area'. The milk is collected from local farms in Hagelsrum, Virstad, Fröreda, Torsjö Manor and Ålatorp, which means less transport carbon emissions and costs.

They have installed a gasification plant where the locally-sourced wood (biofuel) is converted into heat and electricity. Switching from an oil-based heating system to a gasification plant was partly motivated by a tax-relief scheme offered to manufacturers like the dairy, but also the ambition to meet consumer's growing environmental expectations, and to find a practical solution to replace the outdated existing heating system.

Key results

By replacing the old oil boiler with a micro-scale power plant, Emå dairy became virtually self-sufficient in heat and produces enough electricity to cover about 20 % of its needs. The plant combines gasification and combustion as a highly efficient heat for the boiler and power source using local wood chips. The plant generates 40-45 kW of electricity and 100 kW heat.

The availability of dry fuel is a continual challenge in the region. So the Emå installation includes a combined dryer and fuel storage facility which deals with the challenge of always having enough dry fuel in stock to keep the plant operating optimally. The dryer is an efficient and economic solution with a built-in ventilation connection for low-temperature waste heat, which makes it easy to use low-grade heat for drying. The total cost of the initial investment is expected to take 8-to-10 years to pay back.

The project was built and demonstrated as part of the project Small Scale CHP LIFE+ (2014-2018).