Oatly Group AB, the world’s largest oat drink company, recently announced that its two North American production facilities, located in Millville, NJ and Ogden, UT, sourced 100 percent renewable electricity for the first time . Oatly sourced renewable energy certificates issued for renewable electricity generated in part from their oat fiber residue as well as wind and solar. This initiative contributes towards reducing the company’s overall corporate climate footprint.
“As we grow and reach more consumers with Oatly’s products, we’re focused on trying to be responsible stewards of the planet, which means trying to limit our environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions,” said Julie Kunen, Director of Sustainability, Oatly North America.
At Oatly’s Millville, NJ plant, the company sourced renewable electricity certificates (RECs) from a local bio-digester partner that receives oat fiber residue from Oatly. This partner repurposes the oat fiber residue from Oatly’s oatmilk production process and combines it with other food waste to produce renewable natural gas to generate renewable electricity for the local grid. Oatly then purchased RECs equivalent to the electricity required for the lighting, milling, refrigeration and mixing that gets the oatmilk flowing at the Millville facility.
For its Ogden, UT plant, Oatly also purchased RECs equivalent to the amount of electricity needed to run the production facility. These RECs are generated from 100 percent wind and solar power from Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, California, Oregon and Washington. Oatly is also partnering with another local bio-digester that repurposes the oat fiber residue to produce renewable natural gas.
