Colombia. A new energy-efficient refrigeration system was installed at the La Fazenda refrigeration plant in Puerto Gaitán, Meta.
This development, led by the company GreenYellow, will allow the agro-industrial company to increase its production by more than 30%, from 890,000 to about 1 million pigs per year.
The system has a capacity of 556 tonnes of refrigeration and uses ammonia (NH₃) as a natural refrigerant, which eliminates greenhouse gas emissions and avoids negative impacts on the ozone layer.
A solution to growth challenges
La Fazenda, one of the largest pork producers in Colombia, was facing limitations in its refrigeration infrastructure to respond to market demand. Faced with this situation, the company established an alliance with GreenYellow, a French company specializing in energy solutions, with the aim of implementing a system that would optimize its production without compromising sustainability or generating additional initial investment costs.
Alba Lucía Castro, manager of the meat processing plants of Agropecuaria Aliar —the group to which La Fazenda belongs—, explained the importance of this collaboration: "GreenYellow proposed to join forces and made its technology and engineering available to us to carry out the studies and assembly of the refrigeration system, at no additional cost. That's when we realized that he was the right ally," Castro said.
One of the main challenges was to reduce the loss in pig weight after the cooling process to less than 1.5%, which would allow the supply to be optimised and ensure stable production.
Jaime Liévano, president of La Fazenda, highlighted the impact of the implemented solution: "We had been facing high financial costs for several years that limited our capacity for growth. But we were fortunate to meet GreenYellow, our strategic allies, who supported us in the financing and construction of the refrigeration project. We hope to continue working with them, because we believe that we are united by the same philosophy."
The refrigeration system, which includes two cellars with a capacity for 840 pigs, as well as processing, dispatch and freezing areas, will contribute to reducing more than 5,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year, an environmental impact equivalent to the CO₂ absorption of more than 300,000 trees in the same period.
José Manuel Cruz, construction and assembly leader of GreenYellow's Energy Efficiencies and Services department, explained: "With this project, the plant will stop emitting more than 5,000 tons of CO₂ per year, both directly and indirectly. These reductions are comparable to the emissions generated by projects using conventional refrigerants."
In addition to its environmental benefits, the new infrastructure allows energy savings of 15.46%, optimizing the plant's consumption and guaranteeing a more efficient process.
La Fazenda, whose name means 'farm' in Portuguese, is currently the largest pork producer in Colombia and covers the entire production cycle, including the distribution of the product in the domestic market.
Diego Fernando Pérez, Technical Leader of Energy Efficiency at GreenYellow, highlighted the impact of the new technology on product quality: "With this engineering work, we managed to guarantee that the weight loss of the pig during the cooling process is kept at minimum levels or reaches zero. This means that, throughout the cycle, the pig retains a constant weight until it is released to the next phase of the production process."
A model of efficiency for the productive sector
The implementation of the refrigeration system at La Fazenda is part of the eco-efficient energy services model that GreenYellow develops in various industries.
John Jairo Guzmán, commercial leader of GreenYellow, highlighted the benefits of this type of solution: "When a company works with GreenYellow, it receives the support of specialized engineering to optimize all the processes of its business, without the need to make an initial investment, since we take care of this."
The use of natural refrigerants, in addition to reducing environmental impact, allows companies to access tax benefits and ensure greater efficiency in their operations.
With this project, La Fazenda not only strengthens its position in the national meat market, but also sets a precedent in the adoption of sustainable technologies within the agribusiness in Colombia.
