THOMASVILLE, GA — The US Department of Energy (DOE) recently recognized Flowers Baking Co. of Batesville through its Better Plants program with a Better Practice Award.
This award recognized the bakery’s energy efficiency projects that have reduced annual energy use by more than 13,000 MMBtu, the equivalent of powering nearly 250 homes, per year. In partnership with local utility providers, the bakery implemented 13 energy efficient projects from 2016 to 2021. These projects include LED lighting upgrades, waste heat recovery, variable-frequency drives and other energy-saving practices.
“When planning equipment upgrades, Flowers Baking Co. of Batesville incorporated energy efficiency throughout the project design, reducing energy usage and costs long-term,” said Margaret Ann Marsh, VP of sustainability and environmental at Flowers Foods. “Across the Flowers network, this program has become a case study in how to look at every operational upgrade project as an energy efficiency opportunity.”
The DOE’s Better Plants program, part of its Better Buildings Initiative, works with manufacturers along with water and wastewater utilities to boost competitiveness through improvements to energy efficiency, GHG emissions reduction, water efficiency and waste reduction. The annual awards are given to program partners for their accomplishments in implement and promoting energy management practices, principles and procedures.
“Better Plants partners are combating the climate crisis through meaningful energy, water, and waste reduction efforts,” said Carolyn Snyder, deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency at the DOE. “The Better Plants Better Practice and Better Project awards highlight innovation in industrial sustainability and a willingness to share good ideas.”
Read more in the 2021 Better Plants Progress Update.