General Mills Cuts Energy Costs in Iowa, Eyes System for 14 Plants

General Mills has invested $10 million in a system that recycles heat and reduces dehumidification ingredient preparation costs. The system, which is being used in its Cedar Rapids, IA, plant, will cut water consumption by 2.2 million gallons and carbon dioxide emissions by 5,500 tons annually. The system is being evaluated by General Mills for use in 14 other plants, according to The Gazette. Annual savings of $2 million are possible.

The story says that the heat recovery system is an example of steps taken by the company, which has cut its energy costs by $4.3 million and its energy bill by one-third. The Cedar Rapids plant — which produces cereals, fruit snacks and Betty Crocker frosting — generates about $1.5 billion in sales annually.

Large manufacturers in the United States have cut more than $2.4 billion in energy costs during the past five years, according to a story at Clean Technica. That number could jump to $11 billion annually by 2020, according to the writer, Marcacci Communications’ principal Silvio Marcacci.