Eco-efficiency improvements in the Danish Dairy Sector

The Case Study aims to develop and test future technology scenarios for the Danish Dairy Sector. The overall framework will provide an array of options of increasing the eco-efficiency of the sector as a whole. As a specific activity, the eco-efficiency for an organic dairy will be compared to the overall sector baseline. 

In the dairy sector, cost reductions increase eco-efficiency if resources and environmental load are kept constant or reduced. Savings in the dairy sector improve the economic result significantly and each Euro saved is equivalent to a production increase by a factor of 20 (5% profit on turnover).

Environmental improvements in the dairy sector can be the mere result of changing the disposal of process water to a more elaborate and dynamic system of storing and using the water for producing biomass or biogas and agricultural crops. Biogas can reduce costs and improve eco-efficiency by producing energy and reducing the need for energy in a biological treatment process. A production of biomass is expected to reduce the carbon footprint and the use of fossil fuels. The value of a reduced carbon footprint is expected to save cost by reducing natural gas purchase for steam production either at site or at a central power plant. Agricultural production has a significant carbon footprint as well, and might increase eutrophication on waterways if not controlled properly.

In this regard, the Case Study will analyse the environmental load and economic impacts of different techniques and of different end-use or disposal alternatives. A set of eco-efficiency indicators will be developed and tested considering value of biomass, biogas production, reduction of carbon and water footprints, water extraction, and the saving of the limited resource of phosphorus. Different scenarios of treatment, storage and irrigation are expected to reveal value creation, as well as cheaper processes for water treatment.

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Documents and other resources

Deliverable 4.1: Description of value chains for industrial water use [PDF, 2.2MB]

The Case Study in Brief

Full Title: 

Assessment of eco-efficiency improvements in the Danish dairy sector through innovative use of water technologies, energy production and utilisation of nutrients crop production

Case Study Focus: 

Dairy Sector, Denmark

Technologies to be assessed:

Water use:

  • Use of Clean In Place equipment (CIP)

Wastewater treatment:

  • Pre-treatment of process water for increased energy efficiency of the overall waste handling
  • New energy efficient wastewater treatment & preparation for effluent discharge
  • Phosphorus recovery & utilization
  • On-line monitoring techniques for control of treatment technologies

Reuse

  • Technology for utilization of effluent for irrigation based on demand
  • Choosing the right crops for biomass production and energy

Case Study Leader:

DHI