In   June  of   2010,  Aviagen   completed  a  multi-­million  dollar  expansion  of  its  U.S.  poultry  feed  mill  in  Athens,  Alabama.  The  mill  supplies  pelletized  and  crumbled  feed  to  Aviagen’s  Pedigree  operation  in  Tennessee  and  to  115  Aviagen  poultry  farms  in  Alabama.  After  the  expansion,  the  Athens  mill  saw  its  production  capacity  increase  by  more  than  30  percent.  

New   equipment,   including   a   state-­of-­the-­art   conditioning  and   long-­term   retention   vessel   which   helps   the   company  increase  its  output  while  maintaining  the  strictest  biosecurity  controls,   is   a   vital   part   of   ensuring   that   the   feed   used   in  Aviagen’s  breeding  program  is  free  of  harmful  pathogens.

That,   however,   is   only   the   beginning.   By   reducing   its  consumption  of  electricity,  natural  gas  and  diesel   fuel,   the  modernized  feed  mill  also  has  cut   its  annual  energy  costs  by  more  than  $160,000.      

“Our  Athens  mill   expansion   is   achieving   exactly   what   we  had  targeted,”  says  Richard  Obermeyer,  Aviagen’s  director  of  feed  production.  “We  grew  capacity  by  about  30  percent  

that  we  enhanced  the  sustainability  of  our  feed  mill  operation  by  reducing  energy  consumption  across  the  board.”  

In   fact,   Obermeyer   estimates   the   Athens   feed   mill   has  reduced  its  carbon  dioxide  (CO2)  emissions  by  a  whopping  615   tons.  To  bring   that   number  down   to  earth,   a  615   ton  reduction   in  CO2   is   like  pulling  126  passenger  cars  (or  92  pickups  and  SUVs)  off  the  road  for  a  year.i      

June   30,   2011),   Obermeyer   tracked   how   much   the   feed  mill   spent   on   electricity   and   natural   gas   for   every   ton   of  feed  produced.  He  also  monitored  how  many  tons  of  feed  Aviagen’s   trucks  hauled   in  each  delivery   to   its   farms,  and  in  turn  calculated  the  diesel  fuel  needed  for  those  trips.  He  then  compared  those  numbers  to  the  same  metrics  for  the  

The  results  tell  the  story  of  an  upgrade  that  pays  dividends  in  multiple  ways.  

Electricity  Electricity   powers   nearly   everything   at   the  Athens   facility,  from  lights  and  HVAC  to  the  core  functions  of  the  production  equipment.  All   told,   the  mill   requires  more   than   2  million  kilowatt  hours  (KWH)  a  year.  

In   FY   2010,   the   Athens   mill   consumed   34.01   KWH   of  electricity  for  every  ton  of  feed  it  produced.  After  the  upgrade,  consumption   dropped   15   percent   to   28.87   KHW  per   ton.  (Overall  metered  use  dropped  by  a  total  of  364,438  KHW.)  Obermeyer  calculated   the  cost  of   those  electrical  savings  at  43.9  cents  per  ton.  With  the  mill’s  total  production  in  FY  2011,  Aviagen  cut  its  overall  electrical  costs  by  $31,126.

Factoring   in   U.S.   Energy   Information   Administration   (EIA)  estimates  that  generating  a  KWH  of  electricity  in  Alabama  produces  1.31  pounds  of  CO2,ii  Aviagen’s  carbon   footprint  on  electricity  use  alone  plummeted  by  238.7  tons.

Feedmill Sustainability

Natural  GasA   natural   gas-­powered   steam   generator   is   central   to   the  Aviagen  operation  for  two  reasons.  One,  the  steam  conveys  the  heat   to  kill   the  bacteria   that  poses  a   threat   to  poultry,  and   two,   it   bonds  starches   in   the   feed  so   that   the  pellets  stand  up  to  transportation.  The  steam  generator  is  the  only  component  in  the  mill  that  runs  on  gas.

Aviagen  has  reduced  its  natural  gas  consumption  in   large  part  by  making   innovative  use  of   the  360-­degree  exhaust  created   by   the   steam   generator.   The   system   redirects  the  exhaust   into   the  high-­volume   specially   designed  heat  exchanger  that  preheats  water  for  steam  generator  makeup  and  input  hot  water  into  the  feed  conditioning  stage  of  the  process  without  paying  to  heat  it.  

The  result?  Aviagen  uses  12  percent  less  steam  and  has  cut  its  natural  gas  consumption  by  an   impressive  28  percent.  Aviagen  saw  its  gas  usage  drop  from  2.671  hundred  cubic  feet  (CCF)  per  ton  of  feed  manufactured  to  1.9  CCF  per  ton.  That  produced  $75,510  in  savings.

This   reduction   in   natural   gas   consumption   improves  Aviagen’s   carbon   footprint   even   more.   According   to   the  Carbon   Dioxide   Information   Analysis   Center   at   Oak  Ridge  National   Laboratory,   burning   1  CCF  of   natural   gas  produces  12.2  pounds  of  CO2.ii    Because  Aviagen  reduced  its  gas  consumption  by  54,665  CCF,   the  company   in   turn  reduced   its   carbon   emissions   by   333   tons.  As   an   added  

exhaust   for   use   in   the   heat   exchanger,   the   exhaust   that  

water   supply   temperature   (~95   to   97   degrees)   far   cooler  

Diesel  FuelThe   Athens   mill   today   produces   pellets   that   are   denser  (by  about  12  percent)  than  they  were  prior  to  the  upgrade.  The  reason  stems  from  the  new  production  process,  which  creates   pellets   that   don’t   expand   even   after   they   cool   off  and  are  exposed   to   the  air.  Denser   pellets   allow  Aviagen  trucks   to  deliver  more   feed  per   load  –  2.22   tons  more,   in  fact,  and  results  in  fewer  trips  in  Aviagen’s  diesel-­powered  semi-­trailer  trucks.

Once  again,  Aviagen  saves  money  and  reduces  its  carbon  emissions.  Obermeyer  estimates  that  each  load  travels  an  average  of  73.37  miles  at  a  cost  of  $3.65  per  mile.    Between  FY  2010  and  FY  2011,  the  company  reduced  its  total  load  count  by  236,  translating  to  a  total  savings  of  $63,200.

Those   fewer   round   trips   amount   to   a   reduction   in   driving  of   17,313   miles.   Based   on   EIA   estimates   that   big   rigs  burning  diesel   fuel  emit  22.384  pounds  of  CO2,  Aviagen’s  improvements   in   feed   density   have   reduced   its   carbon  emissions  by  another  43  tons.iii  

“Minimizing  the  environmental  impact  of  our  feed  production  is  a  sign  to  the  community  that  Aviagen  takes  sustainability  seriously,”  says  Obermeyer.  “Certainly,  we’re  saving  money  compared   to   our   energy  expenses   from   last   year.  But   by  reducing   our   carbon   emissions   so   dramatically,   we’re  helping  to  save  something  even  more  important.”

www.aviagen.com August 2011

iU.S.  Environmental  Protection  Agency.    iiCarbon  Dioxide  Information  Analysis  Centre,  Oak  Ridge  National  Laboratory.  

iiiU.S.  Energy  Information  Agency.  

Feedmill Sustainability                                                                                                  Continued...