Türk Tuborg slashes emissions with GEA heat pump technology
Türk Tuborg partnered with GEA to implement an industrial heat pump at their brewery in İzmir, Türkiye.Thr solution captures waste heat from existing cooling systems and converts it into process heat for the wort production line. (Photo: Türk Tuborg)
In a major step forward for regional decarbonisation, Türk Tuborg has successfully partnered with technology supplier GEA to install its first industrial heat pump.
Operating at the Tuborg brewery site in İzmir, Türkiye, the newly integrated system is already delivering promising environmental and operational benefits during its early stages of operation.
The project directly addresses the industry’s need to overcome a dependence on fossil fuels for heating by recovering and reusing low-grade process heat that would otherwise go to waste.
Immediate environmental and efficiency gains
The implementation of GEA’s industrial heat pump has yielded immediate advantages for the brewery’s energy profile:
7.4 per cent reduction in CO₂ emissions: in the early stages of the system’s operation, Türk Tuborg has already achieved a 7.4 per cent drop in carbon emissions.
Optimised energy efficiency: overall energy efficiency within the facility has remained stable throughout the transition.
Reduced fossil fuel reliance: by enabling the internal reuse of thermal energy, the solution significantly lowers the brewery’s dependence on conventional, non-renewable heat sources.
Infrastructure integration
Rather than requiring a complete overhaul of the facility, the high-efficiency heat pump operates in full integration with the brewery’s existing cooling infrastructure.
The system captures low-grade waste heat directly from the cooling systems and upgrades it into usable process heat, which is then channeled directly into the wort production line. This integrated approach ensures process continuity and optimized resource efficiency without interrupting daily operations. Furthermore, the system features advanced control and monitoring capabilities, allowing the engineering team to maintain a stable, reliable, and data-driven operation.
Supporting national climate targets
Beyond immediate operational savings, the deployment of this technology positions Türk Tuborg as a proactive participant in regional climate compliance.
The heat pump solution directly supports Türkiye’s overarching net-zero target for 2053. Additionally, it ensures the brewery complies with the nation’s new climate law, which mandates strict emissions reporting and reduction measures for industrial manufacturers. By turning waste cooling by-products into valuable process heat, the partnership demonstrates how industrial sustainability goals can be practically achieved.
