Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Industrial  -  September 29, 2023

California Dairies Increases Efficiency, Lowers Emissions

California Dairies, Inc. (CDI), a member-owned milk marketing and processing cooperative in California, announced the company has implemented three state-of-the-art decarbonization technologies designed to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions.

The cooperative worked with Skyven Technologies, an Energy-as-a-Service company that decarbonizes industrial process heat.

Skyven and CDI designed, installed and replicated an integration of three decarbonization technologies at each of CDI's two largest facilities. 

The six total projects include two of the largest solar thermal systems for industrial process heat in the world. These renewable heat systems are each integrated with a smart steam trap solution that uses state-of-the-art, internet-connected sensors to reduce steam loss at each facility. 

The integration also includes a boiler heat recovery system to boost the efficiency of the boilers by nearly 10%. 

CDI saved over 3,500 metric tons of CO2 and over 65,000 MMBtu of natural gas at its two  facilities.

In a full year of operation, these installed solutions will save over 4,700 metric tons of CO2 and over 89,000 MMBtu of natural gas. 

Skyven and CDI are currently working toward the implementation of additional decarbonization solutions at more facilities.

This project leveraged grant funding from the California Energy Commission's Food Production Investment Program (FPIP), utility incentive funding from Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Gas Company, third-party project finance, and investment from Skyven's balance sheet.

"Skyven has played a key role in our mission to create more sustainable dairy products for a healthy world," said Darrin Monteiro, Vice President of Sustainability and Member Relations at California Dairies, Inc., in a statement. "Skyven's ability to design and implement these successful solutions with no cost and no interruption to our process was a vital component to success."