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Blackmores Group - Braeside, Victoria

  • Aug 5
  • 4 min read

Project summary

Facility/application type: Manufacturing - pharmaceuticals

Energy user: Blackmores Group

Process:

  • Hot water for HVAC and process

Key benefits:

  • 11% reduction to total site energy consumption

  • 25% reduction in site natural gas consumption

  • 512 tCO2-e emission savings from a 9,900 GJ annual reduction in natural gas consumption

  • Heat pump utilises 100% renewable electricity

  • Combined estimated savings of $100,000 annually from heating and chilled water

  • Improved redundancy of chilled water system

  • Reduced water consumption on site (saving cooling towers)

Overview

In 2020, Blackmores Group established a bold ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2030, aligning with Australia's national climate goals and setting a high bar for the manufacturing sector. Significant investment on decarbonisation and renewable energy projects (including transitioning to 100% renewable electricity for all Australian sites) to date has resulted in natural gas now accounting for 86% of the Group’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions (CY 2024). The Blackmores Braeside site accounts for 88% of group gas which is used in hot water boilers (25%), dehumidifiers (28%) and steam boilers (47%).


A hot water heat pump project was selected as the next major decarbonisation project after significant internal consideration. The site has a heating hot water (HHW) loop that supplies (heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and process water demands simultaneously and was supported by two natural gas hot water boilers (970 kW and 1,570 kW). Site hot water demand varies seasonally and based on operations. To increase the impact of this electrification project and provide steadier demands, two low-temperature steam loads (process and domestic hot water) were transitioned onto the sites HHW system in 2025, adding ~150 kW of demand.


This project involved the replacement of the 970 kW natural gas boiler with an 800 kW water sourced York heat pump. This heat pump was integrated into the HHW and chilled water (CHW) systems to provide the facility with both hot water chilled water, recovering heat and improving overall efficiency. The project included upgrades to electrical infrastructure, installation of two buffers tanks, and integration of the system into the facilities business management system (BMS).


Existing system

The Braeside facility requires substantial low- and medium-temperature heat for tablet coating, gelatine melting, product drying, clean-in-place, washdown, and space heating, which - before this project - were being met by:

  • 4 x 500kW steam boilers (47% of site gas use)

  • 12 x ~100kW natural gas desiccant dehumidifiers (28% of site gas use)

  • 2 x (1,570 kW and 970 kW) hot water boilers (25% of site gas use).


This project involved the replacement of the 970 kW hot water boiler supplying 75°C water to HVAC and processes. Some smaller steam loads were transitioned onto the site's existing hot water ring main to enable greater impact and decarbonisation.


The site also has two water-cooled chillers supplying chilled water to HVAC and processes.


New solutions

  • 1 x 849 kW York water sourced heat pump to generate 75°C heating hot water for existing HHW loop and 7°C chilled water for CHW loop.

  • 1 x HHW buffer tank

  • 1 x CHW buffer tank

  • New 1600A submains to MCC


The project involved the installation and commissioning of a ~850kW thermal (1MW-peak) R515b refrigerant York heat pump, a 6 kL hot water buffer tank and a 6 kL chilled water tank at the Braeside facility. The heat pump was integrated into both the HHW and CHW loops at the site such that it can pre-chill returning chilled water while delivering 75°C hot water for the site. The installed buffer tanks will help to manage peak demands.


Energy efficiency measures were also part of the project, as was building in the potential for demand management, mode change control to changed to be based on site demand to work on chilled water priority and hot water priority.





Challenges overcome

The heat pump installation did run into some unexpected challenges and delays, particularly due to:


Winter installation The electrification project was carried out during winter when there is the greater HHW demand. This caused redundancy concerns which needed careful planning and coordination between engineering, operations and contractor teams.


Plant footprint and access The footprint/size of the heat pump, ancillary services and particularly the buffer tanks posed challenges when manoeuvring and placing equipment.


Integration into the sites BMS proved challenging Troubleshooting with the BMS took almost a week because of a faulty controller.


Electrical upgrades took longer than expected Concern was raised about site’s redundancy hot water system after the backup gas boiler was removed from the site.


Electrical board upgrade It was challenging due to a power shut down on-site, the tight space of boards connection was cumbersome and took extra time to be implemented.


Loading equipment in plantroom Heavy equipment was required to be placed inside the plantroom, which had limited access. To enable crane boom access and safe unloading of the equipment, some existing pipework and services had to be removed or modified. Also, alternative solutions were considered for the tank placement.


Project outcomes

  • 11% reduction to total site energy consumption

  • 25% reduction in site natural gas consumption

  • 512 tCO2-e emission savings from a 9,900 GJ annual reduction in natural gas consumption

  • Heat pump utilises 100% renewable electricity

  • Combined estimated savings of $100,000 annually from heating and chilled water

  • ~10 years (without grant)



"A quote from Sally saying how proud they are to be reducing emissions so much"


Sally Townsend, Head of Sustainability, Blackmores Group





Project partners

 
 

© 2025 - The Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity

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