Increasing the energy efficiency of the production process and incorporating energy from renewable sources, with a view to decarbonizing the industry.
Uniself moves forward with a project to decarbonize its production process at its S. Julião do Tojal factory in Loures.
The project’s main objective is to promote the reduction of energy consumption and GHG emissions associated with the activity developed by Uniself. To this end, the company has drawn up an investment plan that aims to increase the energy efficiency of the production process and the incorporation of energy from renewable sources, with a focus on decarbonizing the industry.
To this end, it intends to replace natural gas ovens with electric ovens, as well as fluorescent lamps with LED lamps.
Uniself also intends to replace the R449A refrigerant gas used in the chiller with ammonia gas, which will increase the equipment’s energy efficiency and, in the event of a leak, be less harmful to the environment.
The project also aims to incorporate energy obtained from renewable sources, through the installation, at its factory in Loures, of an electrical production unit for self-consumption (UPAC), which will have more than 1200 photovoltaic solar panels. which will be installed on the roof of the facilities, as well as in the adjacent parking lots, allowing the food product producer to generate more than 1,138 MW/a MegaWatts per Year of clean electricity for consumption by the facilities and in the industrial process.
The project will have an investment of around 940 thousand euros with support from the PRR – Recovery and Resilience Plan of up to 295 thousand euros, with completion scheduled for June 2025.
This investment will result in a significant reduction in the company’s carbon footprint, as it will allow a 31% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with an annual reduction of more than 216 tons of gases, by avoiding the consumption of energy from polluting sources.