The Hera Circular economy report and Fruttagel
The two companies collaborate on the reporting of sustainability KPIs through the Circular Economy Report
Sustainability performance reporting
The Circular Economy Report accurately reports the results and environmental benefits of the actions implemented for the integrated management of waste, drinking water, purification, energy and energy efficiency services, thanks to the Hera Business Solution protocol signed between the two companies. The first report confirms the decrease in energy consumption and waste produced and a greater reuse of water coming out of the company wastewater treatment plant. Circular economy and sustainability are at the heart of the first Circular economy report prepared by the Hera Group for Fruttagel, following the Hera Business Solution protocol signed in 2020 between the two companies. Through this agreement, the multiutility company has leveraged its expertise, along with that of its numerous Group companies, to support this leading national player in the agro industrial food sector. The collaboration aims to provide a comprehensive multi service offering, assisting the company in achieving increasingly ambitious and challenging circularity goals across the entire production chain. This expanded service range allows the company to benefit from having a single point of contact for all its needs. Hera has started a consultancy process with Fruttagel covering the entire industrial transformation of 160,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables each year. While circular economy is often linked to waste management, it actually spans across various areas, including the efficient and sustainable use of water and energy.
Circular economy, resource regeneration and energy efficiency
The report presented to Fruttagel highlighted the results and advancements made in 2020 through the services offered by the Hera Group, including waste management, wastewater treatment, water supply, and data connectivity. This year, Fruttagel has further enriched the offering by joining the proposal for the provision of electricity to its two plants in Alfonsine (Ravenna) and Larino (Campobasso).
The report particularly focused on the benefits achieved in the circular economy, resource regeneration and energy efficiency at the Fruttagel plant in Alfonsine. In the first area, the production of waste has been analysed with the aim of reducing it and maximising its material or energy recovery. Hera has proposed solutions with these objectives by agreeing with Fruttagel on improvement plans while providing regulatory advice for management with a view to the circular economy. Following this model, in 2020 the non-hazardous waste generated per tonne of finished product was 12.1 kg, a decrease of 17.5% compared to 2019, and was all recovered in the form of material and energy. By avoiding the disposal of waste, over 190 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions have been prevented.
The efficiency improvements proposed by the Group in the management of the company's wastewater treatment plant in Alfonsine have led to an improvement in the use of resources for wastewater purification, also reducing the production of sludge, which decreased by 7% for each cubic metre of wastewater treated compared to the previous year. The recovery of water from the wastewater treatment plant once filtered and disinfected for uses such as washing yards and equipment has increased by almost 30% compared to the previous year.
Reputational and competitive advantage thanks to reporting
In Alfonsine, energy efficiency has also improved, with a 29% reduction in the energy consumed per cubic metre of wastewater treated compared to the previous year. This has resulted in a decrease of approximately 150 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from the volumes treated, thanks to the implemented efficiency measures.
Also the data centre, thanks to a self-production from renewable sources of 30% of its energy needs, has 20% less CO2 emissions than the average data centre.
Measurement and reporting are increasingly crucial factors to be competitive in the market, also in terms of reputation. Figures allow us to better analyse processes and impacts, to activate improvement actions and to transparently report the results achieved to our stakeholders. The first Circular Economy Report prepared for Fruttagel, based on 2020 data, not only captures the results of already implemented activities, but also aims to serve as a starting point for new improvement opportunities, in the spirit of the Hera Business Solution protocol signed by the company, which offers integrated energy and environmental solutions that are sustainable and tailor-made. The goal is to work alongside the company to identify new growth opportunities, minimising costs for the community, the environment, and future generations. The focus is on regenerating natural resources, extending the useful life cycle of goods and resources, and developing skills for the efficient use of materials.
"This is only a first important step, which is the subject of the memorandum of understanding signed between the companies”, says Stanislao Giuseppe Fabbrino, Chairman and CEO of Fruttagel. “At this very moment, we are focusing on our three-year business plan, with particular emphasis on investments related to the use, procurement and management of energy, methane gas, water, steam, waste and by-products, with a medium-term vision that requires a strong contribution of expertise, both on legislative trends and on the technical developments concerning circular economy issues. I take this opportunity to thank Hera, which is supporting us with its best experts to make our use of these resources as efficient and virtuous as possible.”
2021 data
This partnership with Fruttagel represents a further step in the development of concrete circular economy actions implemented by our company for energy transition and carbon neutrality. The integrated contribution of the various specialised companies of our Group allows us to offer companies a single partner to direct them towards increasingly challenging and important sustainability objectives, providing all-round solutions that cover all areas.
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