Instant coffee industry
Instant coffee (IC) production requires low- to medium-temperature heat for roasting, brewing, and concentration, while freeze-drying introduces an additional electricity demand. This analysis compares several instant coffee production routes based on energy demand and CO₂ emissions. These alternatives differ in terms of:
- Energy vector for heat supply – natural gas, biomethane, solid biomass, hydrogen, electricity
- Roasting mode – batch or continuous roasting
- Carbon capture implementation – chemical absorption with MEA
- Process waste valorization – spent coffee grounds and coffee silverskin combustion for heat supply
Want to explore the emissions in more detail?
Click below to access the detailed assessment to examine how the different technologies and energy vectors contribute to overall CO₂ emissions.
Energy demand components (MWh/t IC):
- Coffee – Natural gas – Natural gas demand to fulfill process heat requirements
- Coffee – Hydrogen – Hydrogen demand to fulfill process heat requirements
- Coffee – Biomethane – Biomethane demand to fulfill process heat requirements
- Coffee – Waste – Waste (coffee silverskin and spent coffee grounds) demand to fulfill process heat requirements
- Coffee – Biomass – Solid biomass (wood) demand to fulfill process heat requirements
- Coffee – Electricity – Electricity demand for IC production
- CC – Natural gas – Natural gas required by chemical absorption-based carbon capture
- CC – Biomethane – Biomethane required by chemical absorption-based carbon capture
- CC – Electricity – Power required by chemical absorption-based carbon capture
Carbon capture (CC) impact:
Switch the toggle on to observe the impact of CC implementation.
Remark: No change is observed for EL, H2, and Eff, as CC is not implemented in these cases.
Carbon capture