Energy Efficiency Yields Rebate Check for High Desert Milk’s Cream Cheese Plant
When cream cheese became High Desert Milk’s newest product in 2023, company officials vowed to maintain its freshness and texture by storing it at a constant 38 degrees instead of freezing it.
“We’re really proud of that,” says Shawn Burton, chief operating officer of the Burley business. “Refrigerating our cream cheese ensures that it maintains its freshness and consistency until it’s ready for transport, so consumers ultimately savor its fresh, natural taste and smooth texture. It’s sold at Ridley’s, Stokes, and Walmart.”
To expand its product line, High Desert Milk built its cuttingedge cream cheese production facility adjacent to the main plant.
Wanting to make the refrigerated cream cheese warehouse as energy efficient as possible, Shawn contacted United Electric Co-op for advice and learned of Bonneville Power Administration’s energy-efficiency program.
BPA offers its Energy Smart Industrial program to public utility customers and helps industries implement upgrades and projects to gain measurable and cost-effective energy savings. Nosh Makujina is the designated Energy Smart Industrial Partner for the program in Central Idaho, who worked with High Desert Milk.
“This project is another example of how United Electric works with its member-owners to provide cost-effective delivery of power and bring meaningful value to our customers,” says Michael Darrington, general manager at United Electric. “We are grateful to High Desert Milk for their partnership and support in making United Electric their trusted energy provider.”
The co-op’s ESIP partnership is vital, says Chris Seibold, the co-op’s business services and community relations manager. “We appreciate our partnership with Nosh and the Energy Smart Industrial program and value the expertise they provide in identifying energy-saving projects for our industrial members,” he says.
To help High Desert Milk reduce electrical consumption, Kemper Northwest Inc., an engineering and industrial refrigeration contracting firm in Caldwell, recommended the installation of a new Bitzer compressor package consisting of 2 300-horsepower twin-screw compressors.
The installation was completed last year and resulted in High Desert Milk receiving 2 rebates totaling $172,411 from United Electric.
Nosh evaluated the new Bitzer compressor package for electrical energy savings for the cream cheese refrigeration process.
“The project experienced delays due to new equipment lead times but was successfully completed in time for program deadlines,” Nosh says. “The project will save High Desert approximately 407,471 kilowatt-hours per year and allow them to procure the cash incentive checks.”
The project required technical data documentation. “High Desert management facilitated numerous requests for detailed cost and technical information to meet the high standards of our ESI program requirements,” Nosh says. “This was a true team effort with United Electric, High Desert Milk, and Energy Smart Industrial.”
Shawn says he was grateful for Nosh’s encouragement to collect necessary performance data, ultimately leading to the successful rebates.
“This achievement reflects a true team effort between United Electric, High Desert Milk, and Energy Smart Industrial—demonstrating how strong utility partnerships can drive meaningful efficiency and sustainability gains in rural industry,” Shawn says. “High Desert Milk is proud to highlight its long-standing partnership with United Electric and the collaborative role that partnership played in this major energy-efficiency milestone.”
Shawn says HDM, a continuous-process dairy facility, depends on highly reliable power to avoid costly downtime and protect product quality with the 4.5 million pounds of milk received daily for processing.
“In my 30 years in business, power has never been so reliable as it has been with United Electric’s supply,” he says.
HDM’s focus on energy efficiency has been a core principle since it was founded in 2001 as a cooperative of 6 multigeneration dairy farmers dedicated to producing premium dairy products.
After completing its plant in 2008, High Desert Milk began processing milk and has diversified its product line and grown steadily. It produces powdered milk products, milk protein concentrate, butter, and cream cheese.
As High Desert Milk grew, it worked hard to create a plant that has every possible sustainable advantage, Shawn says.
“HDM has invested in projects that reuse steam multiple times,” he says. “We also purchase only energy-efficient equipment that allows us to use the minimum amount of power to run our facility. Being rewarded for our efforts to be good citizens and create the smallest environmental footprint while creating award-winning dairy products is the icing on the cake.”
That would be cream cheese icing, of course.