Pet food manufacturing facility will become Australia’s first 100% renewable steam plant

Photo: Mel Stoutsenberger/Adobe Stock

The Mars Wodonga Solar Thermal Plant, a pet food manufacturing facility in Wodonga, Australia, will be the first major steam-powered manufacturing facility in the country to implement a 100% renewable energy solution for electricity and process steam within the next 2 years, the company announced in a public statement.¹ The initiative, which was inspired by Mars’ “net zero emissions by 2050” commitment, will require a $39.9 million investment.

The company’s transition to net zero emissions will include the installation of an 18-megawatt parabolic trough concentrated solar thermal (CST) plant that will be able to store thermal energy for up to 10 hours to cook pet food. With a $17.2 million grant from the Australian Government through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the project will be the country's first commercial deployment of parabolic trough CST technology, according to a news release.¹

“We are incredibly proud to announce that Mars will be the first manufacturing facility of its kind in Australia to deploy a 100% renewable energy solution within 2 years,” Craig Sargeant, general manager of Mars Petcare Australia and New Zealand, said the release.¹ “Decarbonizing site-based process heat, coupled with Mars Australia’s 100% renewable electricity use, is a significant achievement that not only reflects our ongoing commitment to sustainability but also positions our Wodonga facility as a leader in green process heat manufacturing on a national scale.”

“Investing in renewable energy technologies like CST is critical to decarbonizing industrial processes, particularly in sectors that heavily rely on gas for steam-based manufacturing,” said Sargeant.¹ “CST offers a powerful solution by capturing and storing solar energy in the form of high temperature heat, for use at any time, making it an ideal fit for our steam-based manufacturing needs.”

The project also expands on Mars' use of Electric Thermal Energy Storage (eTES) technology. This technology enables the facility to use low-cost, grid-connected renewable electricity during off-peak hours to generate and store heat. This stored heat can then be used to produce steam at any time of the 24-hour day. The eTES system, developed with support from the Australian government agency Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), offers a cost-effective and renewable alternative to gas, according to the company.

Additionally, Mars has a partnership with the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) to purchase Renewable Gas Guarantee of Origin certificates at Hydrogen Park Murray Valley. The agreement to purchase hydrogen from AGIG will further support the company’s transition to renewable energy, as this clean energy source generates only water when consumed in a fuel cell.² “This arrangement will displace over 10% of Mars Australia’s total gas consumption,” including Mars Petcare Wodonga, wrote the company in its statement.¹

Combined with Mars Australia’s current 100% renewable electricity agreement, the use of CST and eTES systems, along with the AGIG hydrogen purchase, will help the Wodonga facility employ a 100% renewable energy solution by 2026. This solution will be part of the company’s global commitment to 100% renewable energy for site-based operations by 2040.¹

“Earlier this year, Mars globally announced that since 2015, GHG emissions in the company’s value chain have been reduced by 16% or 5.7 million metric tons. This project further contributes to Mars Net Zero Roadmap target to reduce emissions globally by 50% by the end of 2030, which we're on track to achieve," said Sargeant in the release.¹

The Wodonga facility, which manufactures the Pedigree and Whiskas pet food, has been in use for more than 50 years.¹ “We are part of the fabric of the local community, supporting jobs and investment in regional Victoria. Wodonga is at the heart of that journey, and today’s announcement is a major step forward in supporting both regional investment and Australia’s clean energy future,” Sargeant continued.¹

According to the company, Mars is collaborating with other local businesses and government organizations as part of a larger initiative to create a renewable energy hub in northeast Victoria for future generations.

References

1. Mars Wodonga to be Australia’s first large-scale steam-based manufacturing site to deploy a 100% renewable energy solution by 2026 with new solar thermal plant. News release. Mars, Incorporated. October 29, 2024. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.mars.com/news-and-stories/press-releases-statements/mars-wodonga-australia-solar-thermal-plant#:~:text=Wodonga%20(October%2029%2C%202024),manufacturing%20site%20in%20Australia%20to 
2. Hydrogen fuel basics. U.S. Department of Energy. Accessed December 2, 2024. https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-fuel-basics