The energy challenge in baking
The oven is typically the largest energy consumer at a baked goods factory. According to Johan Laros, managing director of Royal Kaak North America, the oven accounts for approximately 80% of a plant's total energy consumption, making efficiency improvements a pressing priority as energy costs rise and regulations tighten.
Electric and hybrid-fuel ovens gain ground
Manufacturers are increasingly turning to fully electric ovens and dual-fuel hybrid systems that automatically switch between natural gas and electric energy. David Welch, director of biscuit, cookie and cracker products for Reading Bakery Systems (RBS) in its EMEA unit, explained that dual-fuel systems enable "bump-less" transitions between energy sources, allowing bakeries to adapt to changing energy costs or sustainability goals without halting production. "This flexibility allows bakeries to gradually transition toward lower-carbon energy sources as infrastructure and economics evolve," he said.
Hybrid and fully electric ovens now account for approximately 50% of all oven installations at Royal Kaak, Laros noted.
Efficiency gains from new technology
Fully electric ovens deliver measurable performance improvements. Marco Girimondo, product manager for electric ovens at GEA, said the latest generation of GEA E Bake systems achieve up to a 40% reduction in energy consumption compared to comparable gas models, zero direct CO₂ emissions, and improved heat transfer precision.
Baker Perkins (a Coperion technology brand) has incorporated other efficiency advancements, including highly efficient motors and fans, optimized airflow design and faster thermal response times. Mark Glover, senior product manager for baked goods at Baker Perkins, noted that modern ovens are engineered for rapid heat-up and quick transitions between temperature profiles, reducing energy consumption during start-up and changeovers.
Retrofitting and heat recovery
Not all bakeries can afford new equipment. Some are retrofitting existing ovens. W&P and Gemini developed an electric heating module that can replace natural gas or oil-fired modules on earlier Thermador tunnel ovens. The module uses heavy insulation and a precise steaming system to minimize steam usage and waste.
Heat recovery has become increasingly important in reducing energy use. Ken Johnson, president of Gemini Bakery Solutions, explained that insulting the oven band return or routing it through a chamber where recovered heat can be reused for applications such as heating water, warming incoming air or supporting facility heating systems can yield substantial savings.
Other heat-recovery strategies include reusing waste exhaust gases from the front end of the oven in latter zones and preheating combustion air with exhaust air at the point of use, according to Chris Jones, director of thermal engineering at Spooner Vicars, a Middleby Bakery brand.