GEA utilizes life cycle assessments for beverage filling system carbon efficiency
02 Sep 2022 --- GEA is conducting what it says is among the first known life cycle assessments (LCA) on the impact of beverage filling systems. The initial results show that equipment production has a relatively low footprint, whereas use of the machines is the most energy intensive. The company is now using the results to help its customers implement changes.
Like many other companies, GEA is targeting net-zero emissions by 2040. To do so, it is focusing on reducing its Scope 3 emissions (the largest share of its emissions) by 18% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. The LCA assessed GEA’s two main aseptic blowing-filling systems: the Aseptic Blow Fill system ABF 2.0, featuring dry sterilization of the preform, and the ECOSpin2 Zero, with wet sterilization of the bottle.
“We wanted a hard look at the numbers – a detailed understanding of the footprint of our filling systems. And a LCA is the most comprehensive framework for measuring environmental impact,” says Paolo Abelli, R&D Director filling and packaging at GEA.
GEA turned to the University of Parma’s Interdepartmental Center for Packaging (CIPACK), which specializes in basic and applied research in the field of packaging and bottling, particularly in pharmaceutical and food applications.
“The LCA is based on a highly bureaucratic process, you can call it a science in itself, which is why GEA sought out external expertise to get started,” continues Abelli.
LCA results
CIPACK ran a number of tests on GEA’s environmental impact, through the production, use phase and end of life of its machines. Examination of acidification, eutrophication, global warming impacts, petrochemical oxidation, abiotic depletion, water depletion and ozone layer depletion was conducted.
The LCA found that 95% of the environmental impact of the machines on average across all impact categories is due to energy and resource consumption during the use phase.
Dr. Nadine Sterley, chief sustainability officer, GEA.Only in one impact category – abiotic depletion of elements – did the raw materials extraction and production phase have an impact at 46% or more than a few percentage points.
“Given the large amount of steel used to manufacture the machines, it was somewhat surprising to find that the materials used in manufacturing have on average an impact less than 4% of the total,” says Barbara Bricoli, R&D innovation manager at GEA Filling and Packaging.
“This makes the use-phase assessment all the more interesting, because this is clearly where we and our customers have the greatest leverage to reduce the environmental impact of our filling machines going forward.”
Technical adjustments
Looking deeper at the use phase, the study found that across almost all impact categories three forms of resource consumption had the largest impact: electrical power, process steam and compressed air. In terms of global warming, these three consumptions alone account for 76% of the total CO2e emissions of the ABF 2.0.
“Given GEA’s focus on Scope 3 emissions, CO2e emissions is our priority action area – and the results of the LCA provide a pretty clear map on how to move forward most effectively,” says Bricoli.
The LCA helped GEA identify and implement three quick improvements to further reduce the climate footprint of its filling systems.
First, by recovering additional condensate, the company lowered process steam requirements during the use phase, thus decreasing electricity consumption in the heating process. Second, by recirculating air from the blower, it further reduced both compressed air and electric power requirements.
Third, customers can now opt to use microfiltration instead of UHT to produce sterile water, which again reduces the electric power needed to heat water in the machines.
“Taken together, these three measures result in a 30% reduction of CO2 emissions during the use phase of the machine,” says Paolo Abelli. “Some customers will continue to prefer the convenience of UHT over microfiltration, but the important thing here is the transparency that we achieve with the LCA – and that our customers are empowered now to make decisions based on real numbers.”
Integrating LCAs
Since the success of the investigation, GEA says it will conduct further LCAs into other machines as a routine part of production.
Jannik Desel, project manager sustainability at GEA is now spearheading GEA’s effort to establish LCA expertise in house so that GEA can integrate life-cycle impact analyses into the development process for each product.
“As the results demonstrate, the LCA is a powerful tool for identifying footprint hot spots, prioritizing sustainability improvements in our design process, and enhancing transparency for our customers.”
“Companies all along the supply chain are starting to take action on understanding and reducing their environmental footprint, but you can also see that it’s a new area of endeavor, so there’s a certain lack of experience and clarity on how to go about it.”
By Louis Gore-Langton
