Mars Incorporated has announced a groundbreaking renewable energy initiative for its Wodonga pet food manufacturing site in Victoria, aiming to become Australia’s first large-scale, steam-based manufacturing facility to run on 100 percent renewable energy. This move, set to be fully operational by 2026, is part of Mars’ global ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

“We are incredibly proud to announce that Mars will be the first manufacturing facility of its kind in Australia to deploy a 100 percent renewable energy solution within two years,” said Craig Sargeant, General Manager of Mars Petcare Australia and New Zealand.

Integrating renewable energy technology

The $39.3 million Mars Wodonga Solar Thermal Plant will drive this transformation, equipped with an 18-megawatt Parabolic Trough Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) system. This technology will provide up to 10 hours of thermal energy storage for cooking pet food.

Supported by a $17.2 million grant from the Australian Government through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), this initiative represents the country’s first commercial deployment of parabolic trough CST technology.

“Investing in renewable energy technologies like CST is critical to decarbonising industrial processes, particularly in sectors that heavily rely on gas for steam-based manufacturing,” added Sargeant. “CST offers a powerful solution by capturing and storing solar energy in the form of high-temperature heat, for use at any time, making it an ideal fit for our steam-based manufacturing needs.”

The project also integrates Electric Thermal Energy Storage (eTES) technology, allowing Mars Wodonga’s pet food facility to generate and store heat from low-cost renewable electricity during off-peak hours, available for steam generation around the clock. The eTES system offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to gas-based heat production.

In addition, Mars is partnering with the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) to purchase Renewable Gas Guarantee of Origin certificates at Hydrogen Park Murray Valley. This agreement will offset over 10 percent of Mars Australia’s total gas consumption, further aligning with Mars’ goal of 100 percent renewable energy across its operations by 2040.

Clean energy future

Sargeant added, “Today’s announcement is a major step forward in supporting both regional investment and Australia’s clean energy future.”

Mars’ sustainable development at Wodonga contributes to its ongoing global emissions reduction roadmap, which has already seen a 16 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2015.

With this project, Mars aims to further drive down emissions by 50 percent globally by 2030, reaffirming its broader company ambitions of achieving net zero by 2050.