High voltage electrical networks for food and drink processors

Demand for food is growing and many companies in the industry plan to increase investment in the coming years, with a focus on production efficiency and automation. But production facilities require reliable power and electrical infrastructure for food and drink manufacturers requires growing investment.

In many cases, the high voltage electrical networks for food and drink processors are old, from the 1960s and '70s, which pose a risk to food and drink production. Jan Eneman, Business Developer at Vattenfall discusses some of these risks…

Interruptions in production can have costly consequences

“Electricity supply in the food and drink industry is not often seen as a priority by a lot of businesses, but at the same time interruptions in production can quickly have costly consequences. If you find out you need to replace parts, or a high voltage transformer because it fails, then you will face significant delays to production. A fault in your switchgear systems, for example, can take a long time to rectify and for many older plants there are no spare parts”, says Eneman.

Older electrical systems can also be a safety risk for staff.

"High-voltage systems can also be life-threatening if they are not well maintained. It’s a big responsibility, which sits with the business owner, to ensure that a facility is safe and secure for employees”, says Eneman.

Outsourcing responsibility

The high voltage electrical networks for food and drink manufacturers are often not front of mind for food and drink businesses, as they are not usually electrical experts. As a result they don’t fully understand the obligations of running, or want the headache of maintaining the essential electrical networks they need to run their operations.

So, in order to focus on their core business and ensure secure electricity supplies, many companies are switching to Vattenfall's Power-as-a-Service offer. Under Power-as-a-Service Vattenfall buys the company's electrical infrastructure and takes over all financial and functional responsibility, for a fixed monthly cost. Vattenfall ensures that the facility complies with applicable laws and regulations, takes full responsibility for electrical safety, maintenance and operation, and makes any necessary investments, in consultation with the business.

Regulatory compliance

“Many companies would rather invest in production than in their electricity plant. There are many laws and regulations to follow around high voltage electrical networks for food and drink processors, which change over time, so it’s a complex area in which it’s important to be up to date. With Power-as-a-Service, we take full responsibility for all regulatory compliance and make sure that everything works. The customer can focus on what they do best, and we take over responsibility for their entire high-voltage infrastructure”, says Eneman.

Latest technology

A reliable, well-functioning power supply, which they don’t need to worry about, is the main reason businesses choose Power-as-a-Service. But Vattenfall’s partners also get help keeping up to date with technology and climate-smart energy-efficient solutions.

“For many companies, it is absolutely crucial to avoid interruptions in production. So we can help with battery storage to ensure there is always electricity. We also help install charging infrastructure for everything from larger trucks to cars - and can even take care of payment logistics”, says Jan Eneman.

As raw ingredients rise in price, many food and drink businesses are looking for ways to reduce costs and eliminate risks, which is where Power-as-a-Service can help. Vattenfall has been designing, building and operating electrical networks for over 100 years so are the perfect partners in high voltage electrical networks for food and drink processors. Businesses that partner with Vattenfall will not only benefit from less risk and avoid unexpected costs when their electrical infrastructure fails, they also gain a proactive energy partner to advise on energy efficiency, smart-technology and support them on their journey to net zero.