Decarbonizing the Industrial Food Sector: Coal Zero by Green Steam (CZ–GS)

Background

South Africa’s industrial sector remains heavily dependent on coal for process heat and steam generation, particularly in energy-intensive industries such as food processing, agro-manufacturing and materials production. While significant policy attention has focused on decarbonising electricity generation, industrial thermal demand, especially low- and medium-temperature steam continues to be supplied predominantly by coal-fired boilers. This creates a structural emissions challenge, as process heat is harder to electrify than space heating and often requires reliable, high-temperature output in continuous production environments. Reducing coal use in this segment is therefore critical to achieving meaningful industrial decarbonisation and improving local air quality.

Transformational Innovation

The CZ–GS project will demonstrate a zero-emission steam generation system at a mid-sized fruit processing facility operated by Rhodes Food Group in South Africa, replacing coal-fired boilers with an integrated configuration of solar thermal energy, high-efficiency mechanical vapour recompression (MVC) heat pumps, waste heat recovery and a digital twin. Delivered through an innovative “Heat-as-a-Service” (HaaS) model, the system will provide reliable, performance-guaranteed clean steam under cost-sensitive operating conditions, removing the need for upfront capital investment by the industrial client while validating a new commercial pathway for thermal decarbonization.

Designed as a modular, drop-in solution, the “Coal Zero” system can be rapidly scaled by adding solar collector rows or storage units to meet higher steam demands across larger facilities in South Africa and the wider Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The project has already identified an immediate replication pipeline of 12 industrial plants, representing a potential reduction of more than 32,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. By generating real-world operational data and a bankable performance track record, the demonstration will unlock future blended finance and accelerate uptake across the agro-industrial sector.

Objectives

• Demonstrate a zero-emission alternative to coal-based steam production for South Africa’s industrial food processing sector.
• Combine solar thermal energy, heat pumps, thermal storage, and digital controls to deliver reliable 24/7 clean steam.
• Replace coal use at a Rhodes Food Group facility, reducing emissions, fuel costs, and exposure to carbon taxes.
• Avoid approximately 2,754 tonnes of CO₂e annually and eliminate more than 4 tonnes of coal use per day.
• Designed as a scalable, modular solution that can be replicated across hundreds of industrial sites in South Africa and other developing markets.
• Support local manufacturing, technical skills development, and improved air quality.

Expected Impact

• Environmental: The project is expected to avoid over 2,700 tonnes of CO₂ annually per site, completely eliminate coal ash disposal, and reduce local particulate pollution, thereby contributing to improved community health. It will also generate open-access Research & Development (R&D) outputs and experimental datasets to support further research into renewable heat technologies.
• Social: The project reduces local particulate pollution, improving health outcomes in surrounding communities, while also creating a “living lab” that bridges European R&D with African industrial application.
• Economic: The project enables a North–South technology transfer by adapting advanced Swedish solar collectors from Absolicon and UK thermal engineering solutions for use in the Southern African context. It also establishes a consortium including GreenLine Africa and the University of Derby, connecting European technology providers with African industrial partners.