An Irish-owned climate technology company has announced a €3 million partnership with Dawn Meats’ division Dunbia.
The partnership between Dunbia and Cork-based ActionZero aims to eliminate fossil fuel use at Dunbia’s processing facility in Llanybydder, Wales.
The deal is expected to see carbon emissions at the Dunbia site reduced by a minimum of 577t/yr.
The plant will use ActionZero’s patented EscoPod system to decarbonise heat at the facility.
According to ActionZero, the heat pump system works by providing high-temperature water without the need for fossil fuels.
It is expected that heating-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at the Welsh plant will be reduced by a minimum of 58%, while thermal system energy use will be reduced by 67%.
Dunbia employs more than 5,000 people at 13 sites in the UK. The partnership is part of Dawn Meats’ wider plan to reach net-zero operational emissions by 2040, which was announced in December.
Commenting on the partnership, Dawn Meats Group CEO Niall Browne said: “We’re committed to investing in new technologies across all of our divisions to help us to reach our net-zero operational emissions target by 2040.
“We’ve already made significant progress and we are delighted to partner with ActionZero on another project as there is still much for us to do.”
Denis Collins, the CEO of ActionZero, said: “We need companies and industries of all sizes to eliminate or drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels if we’re to successfully tackle the challenges of climate change.
“Dawn Meats and Dunbia are certainly leading the way in the food industry and we are delighted to be supporting them to reach their ambitious targets,” he added.
At present, ActionZero works with a range of businesses in healthcare, industry and enterprise, including the Bon Secours Hospital, a number of agri-food companies, and various public sector bodies.
Collins said: “We have a robust and strong performance history with industry, particularly in the food sector in Ireland.
“The Dunbia project represents yet another important inroad for ActionZero into the UK. It’s a major market for us and is a key strategic focus for 2023,” he commented.