Generalized electrification solutions for breweries: A Pinch Analysis-based approach to Heat Pump integration and process decarbonization

This work presents a systematic methodology for the electrification of industrial breweries through Pinch Analysis. A generalized brewery layout is defined, with a total heat demand of 21.4 kWh/hl, based on literature and case studies. This is used as the basis for Pinch Analysis to quantify energy demands and identify heat recovery opportunities. Three electrification solutions are proposed: a centralized high-temperature heat pump replacing the boiler, a two-heat pump system with a CO₂ heat pump supporting the warm water heat recovery tank and a High Temperature Heat Pump for wort boiling, and a fully integrated system combining a CO₂ heat pump, a High Temperature Heat Pump booster, and mechanical vapor recompression for wort boiling. Results highlight the trade-offs between solution complexity, energy performance, and investment costs, with electricity consumption ranging from 5 to 3.6 kWh/hl. Economic assessment using both payback period and net present value at year 10 reveals that long-term decision-making favors more efficient but capital-intensive configurations.