11er Kartoffelspezialitäten & Nahrungsmittel aus Frastanz: Environment

ENVIRONMENT

Responsibility for our environment

Climate change and extreme weather events are everywhere. The potato is a natural product, which is why we as a manufacturer of frozen potato specialities rely on fertile soils, clean water and pure air. To ensure this for future generations, it goes without saying that we are committed to sustainable environmental and climate protection measures, which is why we have been calculating our CO₂ emissions since 2013 and analysing where our emission drivers are and how we can reduce emissions. This forms the basis of the measures we have already taken and are planning.

WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED

Reduction of carbon dioxide, savings and investments

Thanks to numerous measures we have achieved a reduction of more than 40,000 tonnes of CO₂ over the past 20 years. Through continuous investments in environmental management, we have created the foundation for further savings on our path toward active climate protection.

We have also been able to save large amounts of energy – around 200 million kWh over the past 20 years. As a result, the amount of energy required per kilogram of raw potatoes has decreased. Today, we need around 41% less energy to process 1 kg of raw potatoes. Lower energy consumption also means fewer CO₂ emissions.

2005

2025

2005

2025

2005

2025

2005

20025

Reduction & avoidance of CO2

We have been using resources responsibly for many years – and we will continue to consistently follow this path. Our goal is to reduce CO₂ emissions along the entire value chain. A particular focus lies on emissions at our production site in Frastanz as well as those resulting from purchased energy. With our climate initiative, we set ourselves the goal in 2015 of reducing our CO₂ emissions by 25% by the end of 2025.

We not only achieved this goal, but even slightly exceeded it. In the areas we can directly influence – the direct emissions at our site (Scope 1) and the indirect emissions from purchased electricity (Scope 2) – we were able to reduce our CO₂ emissions by 26% per processed quantity of potatoes by 2025 compared to 2015. In practical terms, this means that every kilogram of potatoes processed in 2025 caused 26% fewer CO₂ emissions than in 2015.

Biogas

The biogas plant on our premises

After installing our first biogas plant back in 1983, we were able to put a new, higher-capacity facility into operation in 2017, reaching an important milestone. With this plant, we can now save up to 3,300 tons of CO₂ every year. All production residues are converted into biogas in fuel quality directly on site.

How does a biogas plant actually work? In a biogas plant, biomass such as potato peels is broken down anaerobically, meaning without oxygen. By adding microorganisms, a fermentation process begins, producing biogas. In this way, we not only reduce CO₂ emissions, but also provide an alternative renewable energy source and strengthen our environmental protection efforts.

Energy cycle

The 11er energy cycle

With our newly built biogas plant, we have reached an important milestone on our way toward a circular energy economy. The biomethane produced in natural gas quality is used to transport our potatoes from our storage facility to Frastanz, as well as to power our forklifts and company vehicles.

Since most CO₂ emissions are caused by burning fossil fuels, we are able to save around 3,300 tons of CO₂ every year. The biomethane generated from potato leftovers could fuel approximately 1,400 cars* with an average annual mileage of 15,000 km for an entire year. Any surplus biogas is also fed into the natural gas grid of Vorarlberg.

Green electricity

100% green electricity comes from hydropower

We have been purchasing green electricity from 11er since 2017. It helps us to further expand our "11er climate protection initiative". With electricity from renewable hydropower, we avoid around 1,8000 tonnes of CO2 every year compared to the Austrian electricity mix.

PV system

Deep-freezing with solar energy

The sun is a fusion reactor. This natural reactor will continue to run for many billions of years. By building and expanding our own PV systems on the roofs of our production and deep-freeze warehouses, we are able to capture and effectively utilise this original power of the sun. Whenever the sun is at its strongest, we need a lot of energy to freeze our 11er potato specialities.

We have been using solar energy since 2021 and have successively expanded our PV system since then. With the last expansion in 2024, our PV system has an output of 1.2 MWp. This enables us to cover between 60-70% of the energy requirements of our frozen food stores with energy self-sufficiency.

2024: Efficient heat recovery

Turning waste heat into the future

The core element of our plant is a two-stage heat recovery system. The hot exhaust air from production is channelled through heat exchangers, which absorb the heat it contains and reuse it in the production process, for example for hot water preparation, space heating or as process heat. The heat generated during the vapour peeling process is also recovered through condensation. This will enable 11er to utilise up to 5 gigawatt hours of heat per year internally - around three times as much as before. This means a reduction of around 10 per cent in gas consumption.

2020: Use of climate-friendly refrigerant

New system, less energy consumption

The refrigeration system from 1991 was replaced due to its age. The replacement of the existing system increased the company's energy efficiency and reduced energy consumption by around 355,000 kWh per year. At the same time, we are using ammonia, a climate-friendly refrigerant with a GWP (Global Warming Potential) of 0.

You can find more information about IWB/EFRE at www.efre.gv.at

2018: Compressed air optimisation with heat recovery

Smart compressed air solution saves natural gas and electricity

The aim of the project is to increase the efficiency of compressed air generation by optimising the system. This requires an improvement in the compressor system.

By revising the compressed air system, a_{CO2 reduction of} around 210 tonnes per year can be achieved in the long term by saving natural gas and electrical energy. The main components of the measure consist of a new air compressor with integrated heat recovery, including a higher-level control and regulation system.

You can find more information about IWB/EFRE at www.efre.gv.at

Die 11er Druckluftanlage sichert eine langfristige CO2 Reduktion

2018: Heat recovery from production refrigeration system

When cold becomes heat

The heat extraction of a production refrigeration system of 1 MW with a temperature level of 35°C/25°C serves our company as an energy supplier for the central heat supply of the ventilation systems. These require a heating capacity of approx. 2.6 MW, which can now be obtained primarily and for at least 3,500 hours per year from the waste heat from the refrigeration system.

By extracting heat from the refrigeration system,_{CO2 emissions} of around 970 tonnes per year can be avoided in the long term by saving natural gas. The reduced operation of the evaporative cooling towers also leads to a sustainable added value of the investment through water savings. The project consists of the installation of a heat exchanger including refrigeration and heating pipework.

You can find more information about IWB/EFRE at www.efre.gv.at

Die 11er Produktionskälteanlage, mit der langfristig CO2 Emmisionen vermieden werden.

2014: Increasing the utilisation efficiency of the refrigeration system

Optimised heat management replaces natural gas

The aim of this project is to significantly increase the utilisation of heat from the refrigeration system. To do this, we are optimising and making heat management more flexible so that new consumption options are opened up. A heat level of 85 °C is required so that heat can be utilised all year round for production processes and heating purposes.

This is realised via a large buffer storage tank, which is raised to the required high temperature level of 85 °C using supplementary heat from a CHP (combined heat and power) plant. By expanding the heat utilisation options, natural gas can be replaced and further_{CO2 savings of} around 360 t/a can be achieved in the long term. The measure consists of a buffer storage tank for 70,000 litres, supplementary HVAC technology, approx. 300 m of district heating pipework and the necessary electrical and control technology.

You can find more information about IWB/EFRE at www.efre.gv.at

Optimisation of the steam boiler system

Steam with a better balance sheet

The project therefore makes sense for us in order to increase the efficiency of the steam boiler plant through plant optimisation. This requires an improvement and flexibilisation of the firing system.

By optimising the steam boiler system in this way, a further_{reduction in CO2 emissions} of around 95 t/a can be achieved in the long term by saving natural gas and electrical energy. The package of measures consists of replacing the firing system (gas burner) with a new combustion air blower with _O2 and CO control, including the necessary electrical and control technology.

You can find more information on IWB/EFRE at www.efre.gv.at

Responsible use of water

Clean water, smart circulation and fewer emissions

We need water for the production of our 11er potato specialities. In the interests of resource-conserving production, we use our own waste water treatment plant. We are convinced that water-saving and energy-efficient systems must be used, especially in production, in order to make a lasting contribution to climate protection.

Die 11er Anlage für Abwasseraufbereitung mit der Wassermengen und CO2 reduziert werden

2024: Clean air thanks to biofilters

Fresh air for our region

In addition to heat recovery, the production exhaust air is cleaned in a new state-of-the-art exhaust air purification system in several stages. After cooling, the air passes through a filter that removes fine particles and aerosols. It is then humidified in an air washer before being passed evenly through four biofilter modules. These consist of natural materials such as bark mulch and wood fibres, on which microorganisms are colonised. These break down the remaining odours biologically. The new system thus reduces odours from production by more than 90 percent - a clear benefit for the affected areas.

Responsibility for our environment

The potato is a natural product, which is why we as a manufacturer of frozen potato specialities rely on fertile soils, clean water and pure air. To ensure this for future generations, it goes without saying that we are committed to sustainable environmental and climate protection measures.

Learn more "

Environment

Social - For people who are important to us

For us, sustainability also means taking responsibility for people. We promote health and a balanced diet, focus on fair working conditions and create a working environment in which everyone feels comfortable. Further training, benefits and a strong team spirit make us a real "Great Place to Work".

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Social

Governance - values that guide us

Trust, transparency and partnership are the foundation of our actions. With clear corporate values, regional responsibility and strong partnerships, we ensure fair corporate governance. Certifications and clear compliance guidelines give you the certainty: at 11er, we keep our promises.

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Governance

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

11er relies on electricity from renewable energies, uses heat recovery from waste heat, produces biogas from organic waste and continuously optimises energy efficiency in production.

11er sources its potatoes from Austria and southern Germany. Only yellow-fleshed potatoes from selected growing areas along the Danube and March rivers and from southern Bavaria are processed.

Sustainable packaging is an important part of 11er's environmental strategy. We rely on recyclable packaging and have already significantly reduced resource consumption over many years by reducing film thicknesses.

Organic waste from production is used in the company's own biogas plant and processed into biomethane. In this way, waste is utilised sensibly and converted into renewable energy.

11er uses electricity from renewable energy sources, operates its own photovoltaic systems and uses biogas to transport potatoes, among other things. In addition, waste heat from production is efficiently reused.