The Rudd Labor Government is helping long-running family business Bestlan Bananas modernise its operations to reduce emissions and cut its power bills.
Minister for Trade Richard Marles said the $457,000 grant from Labor’s Clean Technology Investment Program would allow the company to upgrade a range of energy-intensive equipment to reduce energy consumption at its fruit product manufacturing facility in Bohle, near Townsville.
The project is one of more than 580 the Rudd Labor Government is supporting, with more than $300 million in funding approved to date. This means total new project investment of more than $1 billion in clean technology around Australia.
“For a local company like Bestlan Bananas, this means reduced costs, reduced emissions and the capacity to be more competitive in the long term,” Minister Marles said.
“Bestlan has been creating Australian jobs since 1986.
“Labor is pleased to ensure this company continues to be a great local success story.”
Minister Marles said the project was expected to reduce the carbon emissions intensity of Bestlan’s fruit product manufacturing process by 34 per cent. This would result in savings of $121,000 in energy costs per year.
Bestlan Bananas will use the grant to replace its current chilling unit with a heat recovery chilling unit and dehumidification unit. It will also replace existing cold mixing tanks with heated jacketed mixing tanks and the dried cooking system with an advanced vacuum cooking system. Finally, all factory lighting will be switched from 400W mercury to 150W LED to reduce energy consumption.
“These upgrades, with support from the Rudd Labor Government, will deliver ongoing benefits to strengthen Bestlan’s business operations for years to come,” Minister Marles said.
The carbon price funded Clean Technology Investment Programs include the Clean Technology Investment Program and the Clean Technology Food and Foundries Program.
Funding for this grant is already provided for in the budget.
