The J.R. Simplot Company

Background

The J.R. Simplot Company is one of the largest privately held food and agribusiness companies in the country. Simplot has committed to improving energy efficiency across its 15 U.S. manufacturing plants by 25% over ten years; four of its facilities have already improved their energy efficiency by 25% in three short years. The Company is a leader in energy efficiency and conservation by driving waste from processes, training employees in best practices, working with the community, and partnering with suppliers to reduce energy footprints.

J.R. Simplot’s showcase project is a new, 420,000 square foot, state-of-the-art potato processing plant that will integrate innovative energy saving technologies to achieve dramatic energy efficiency improvements while producing hundreds of millions of pounds of frozen potato products per year. New technologies will upgrade the factory’s energy performance with improvements throughout the plant’s refrigeration systems and improved pipe insulation. Compressed air systems will feature a centrifugal compressor, master controller to ensure efficient compressor sequencing, and an oversized receiver to reduce peak electric demand during high usage air events. New regenerative thermal oxidizer, boiler stack, and fryer exhaust technologies will recover heat more efficiently. In addition, the building will feature LED lighting, including solar-powered external LED lighting.

After breaking ground in 2012, the new factory is expected to be fully operational in early 2014. Simplot intends to seek ENERGY STAR and LEED certification for the factory. Once built, the plant is expected to save the company millions of dollars and contribute to its goal of reducing energy intensity by 25% over 10 years.