Tate & Lyle

Case Study: Reducing CO2 Emissions

FDF members are committed to making significant reductions in CO2 emissions to help tackle climate change. Here are two examples of current best practice – showing what is possible by work which has been undertaken or is now underway in this area.


Tate & Lyle is committed to making significant reductions in CO2 emissions to help tackle climate change. The company is investing in a new biomass boiler at the Thames Cane Sugar Refinery, its largest manufacturing facility in the UK. This will reduce the site's CO2 emissions by about 120,000 tonnes per year.

The renewable energy from the boiler will replace 70% of the present consumption of energy generated from fossil fuels at the site. This will enable a corresponding 70% reduction in CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and reduced energy bills. Construction of the boiler will be completed by March 2009.

Tate & Lyle is also exploring other renewable energy options for the site, including installation of a wind turbine.

These developments build on Tate & Lyle's existing efforts to be more energy resource efficient. In 2000, the company made a commitment to reduce Group energy usage per unit of production by 3% per annum and publishes progress in its Annual Report.

Since 2003, the Thames site has achieved a 23% reduction in energy consumption per tonne of sugar produced. As a result, Tate & Lyle is currently a net-exporter of energy to the National Grid (averaging between 2 and 3MW year round). This export will be in the form of renewable energy once the biomass boiler comes into operation.

More Information

This case study is featured in FDF's Five-Fold Ambition: The Environment – Making a Real Difference Report (pdf, 878kb).

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Last reviewed: 19 Sep 2008