Purpose
Under the Planet pillar of ABP’s One With Nature strategy, C&D Foods Montebello identified steam generation as a major source of energy use and Scope 1 emissions. The site relied on three
ageing, oversized steam boilers with a combined capacity of 32 MW, resulting in high gas consumption. As decarbonisation expectations increased, incremental efficiency improvements were no longer sufficient. A full modernisation of boiler infrastructure was identified as essential to improve reliability, reduce emissions and support long-term operational resilience.
Action
Montebello implemented a major boiler upgrade focused on right-sizing capacity, improving efficiency and introducing modern controls. One boiler was decommissioned, reducing installed capacity to 19.9 MW, and two new high efficiency boilers were installed. Features included dual energy burners, economisers, automatic purge systems and fully automated controls. Water treatment infrastructure was also upgraded with a new softener system and reverse osmosis unit to improve feed water quality, reduce scaling and minimise blowdown losses.
Impact
Following a full year of operation, the upgrade delivered a 14% reduction in Scope 1 emissions, significantly lower gas consumption per tonne of product, improved operational
stability, reduced maintenance intervention and future-ready infrastructure aligned with ABP’s One With Nature commitments.