Our lighthouse project "Regional CO2 reduced"
WOERLE supports regional CO2 Savings to reduce CO2-footprint of our cheese, to the CO2 Avoidance and compensation on site as well as value creation in the region for the region.
We process fresh milk from farms within a radius of about 50 km for the cheese dairy, so it is important to us to either completely avoid or fully compensate for emissions if they occur.
We set a good example at the site and, for example, use rainwater to cool our production and buildings and cover part of our energy requirements with a photovoltaic system at about 5.000m2 large roof area of our newly built high-bay warehouse.
As part of the “regional CO2reduced" project we support our dairy farmers with measures on the farm, which reduce CO2e reduction and thus contribute to greater energy efficiency. On the world market, the compensation "costs" one ton of CO2 are between €1,5 and €15. When offsetting CO2 however, we are consciously going our own way and decided in spring 2021 not to support international projects, but small farm structures in the region.
With €50 per ton of CO2e )* we pay the best price in Austria - that is our clear decision for a future that is suitable for our grandchildren, for our farming families and for our best quality milk. The farmers themselves look for measures that best suit their business. External experts evaluate and improve the ideas submitted together with the companies. With many small steps, the CO2 footprint of WOERLE cheese specialties can be reduced regionally.
In the first step, we scheduled the project for 5 years and the response from our dairy farmers has been tremendous. So far, more than 170 energy efficiency projects have been registered. For example, the use of biochar, the purchase of more efficient milk cooling systems, the use of a double blade mower, switching to electric-powered tractor units around the yard and planting fruit trees. Every measure, no matter how small, counts and is a further step towards protecting the climate.
Some of the measures have already been implemented in the farms in spring and summer and, where possible, CO2 gently documented during a tour with the e-bike.
