Berry Global’s commitment to and leadership in supporting a stronger and more sustainable electric grid in North America has been recognized by winning a Sustainable Footprint Award from Enel North America.

Enel helps organizations across North America navigate the energy transition profitably – enabling them to unlock more flexible energy use, ensure continuity of operations, and advance decarbonization journeys. Berry partnered with Enel to capitalize on the benefits of demand response, which enables businesses to earn revenue and contribute to a cleaner grid by reducing their energy usage during times of high electric demand on the grid.

During peak demand periods for electricity, four Berry facilities in Ontario – in Belleville, Orillia, Scarborough (Westhill), and North Bay – can stop drawing electricity from the grid to reduce overall grid stress and instead use power from previously charged battery storage to maintain operations at the facilities. Once the peak period has ended, the facilities return to drawing power supply from the grid. The batteries can then be recharged from the grid while costs are lower.

For Berry, the success of participating in demand response has led to reduced demand charges and overall energy cost savings. It has also helped increase the stability of the local grid by protecting against overloads and minimizing the need for carbon-intensive peaking power plants.  

“Driving sustainability throughout our operations is a key part of our company-wide sustainability strategy, and we are delighted that our efforts in reducing energy demand have been recognized,” commented Jim Belbas, Vice President of Continuous Improvement, Berry Global. “Initiatives such as this are critical to our goals of minimizing our carbon footprint and reducing energy intensity.”

“Our Sustainable Footprint Award honors our customers’ commitment to grid stability and energy flexibility,” commented Joel Obillo, Head of Sales and Marketing for Enel North America. “By adding energy storage at its facilities and participating in demand response programs, Berry is helping increase the grid’s stability and sustainability by providing a clean, cost-effective alternative to the traditional methods of accommodating peaks in energy demand. We applaud Berry's commitment to sustainability and look forward to continuing our work together.”