Amid rising energy costs, evolving regulations, and increasing customer expectations, the pressure on industrial bakeries to decarbonise and move toward lower-carbon production has never been greater.
As a result, bakeries are facing the challenge of reducing emissions without compromising reliability, long-term value, or overall performance.
Rethinking Decarbonisation for a Changing Energy Future
The challenge of decarbonising is heightened by the fact that industrial ovens are long-life assets, required to remain viable not only under current operating conditions, but also within an energy environment that continues to evolve. Investing too early in a single energy pathway can introduce risk, while waiting too long can slow down progress toward sustainability goals.
This tension is something Spooner has been acutely aware of from the outset. Spooner Industries Commercial Director Andy Rankin explains: “We had concerns about the operating cost differences between gas, hydrogen, and electric, which for many countries would make the transition cost-prohibitive in the short term.”
The reality is that decarbonisation in the bakery industry does not lend itself to a one-size-fits-all solution. What we need is a practical, forward-thinking approach that reflects how bakeries actually operate today, while keeping them prepared for what comes next.
Why Spooner Took a Different Approach to Innovation
As bakeries begin to explore different routes toward decarbonisation, it is becoming increasingly clear that many are facing the same fundamental questions. How can emissions be reduced without committing to a single energy source too early? How can existing assets be protected while still enabling progress toward lower-carbon operations?
Spooner’s response is shaped by close collaboration with customers. More bakeries are seeking guidance on improving energy efficiency, implementing heat recovery, as well as preparing for a smooth transition away from carbon-based fuels.
Spooner’s approach is centred on long-term investment planning and how bakeries operate in practice. The new dual-fuel hybrid ovens are designed as next-generation replacement systems, supporting bakeries in transitioning to lower-carbon energy sources.
Reflecting on this approach, Andy explains: “Any oven now purchased through Spooner will have future electric capability. It could be gas-fired today but easily converted to electric when electricity prices become more comparable with gas or when companies are ready to start the transition.”
Where retrofitting solutions are appropriate, these are delivered through SpoonerPlus to modify traditionally gas-fired ovens with electric-ready capabilities.
Engineering the Dual-Fuel Hybrid Oven
Turning innovation into a practical solution was no small feat. Our team of experts focused on developing hybrid ovens that were robust, flexible, and capable of maintaining consistent performance.
As Andy notes: “Our hybrid ovens can deliver identical temperature, humidity, and velocity to the product, regardless of the fuel used. Therefore, from a baking perspective, the conditions that impact baking quality are accurately monitored and controlled. We conducted extensive pilot baking tests to ensure that there were no changes detectable to a client’s products with our hybrid system.”
This combination of in-depth research and development, along with practical optimisation, ensures that Spooner’s dual-fuel hybrid ovens deliver reliable performance across bakery operations.
Why Adopting Hybrid Ovens Matters Now
At Spooner, our dual-fuel hybrid ovens have been rigorously tested to ensure real-world performance in production environments. This provides operational reliability and product quality.
But the value of hybrid technology goes beyond performance alone. It gives bakeries the flexibility to manage when and how they transition, aligning decarbonisation with long-term investment. Andy emphasises that “the hybrid mode gives the customer the flexibility to stage the conversion and the investment over a longer period.”
This not only helps bakeries minimise emissions but also enables them to control costs and risks well ahead of time.
However, the uncertainty of what a ‘net-zero’ future will look like is still a challenge for bakeries, as Andrew Marson, Technical Director at Spooner Industries, outlines: “There is also a lack of clarity both nationally and internationally about what this will look like in the short, medium, and long term. It will also differ from country to country, as it is driven by politics, cost, and infrastructure.”
Andrew further explains that “the focus is on providing flexibility by offering bakeries a solution that allows them to hedge their bets rather than pigeonholing themselves into a particular route.”
Setting the Standard in Bakery Technology
Spooner’s dual-fuel hybrid ovens have gone beyond concepts; they are thoroughly tested and production-ready. Andy Rankin highlights that “competitors may say they can deliver a hybrid oven, but has it been tested and evaluated thoroughly? We have invested this time to protect the Spooner name and reputation.”
Beyond reliability, these ovens are designed with long-term flexibility in mind. As Andrew Marson explains; “We have designed our ‘electric-capable’ ovens with long-term flexibility and ease of transition in mind, such that only minimal changes are required to install the electric heaters and connect them to the power source.”
Together, rigorous testing and thoughtful design ensure Spooner’s hybrid ovens deliver reliable performance while providing bakeries with unique flexibility in their net-zero transition.
Beyond Ovens: Supporting the Decarbonisation Journey
Decarbonisation is a gradual process; by helping industrial bakeries progress in a gradual, realistic way, it supports balancing both operational efficiency and long-term sustainability goals.
To explore and better understand how energy efficiency, hybrid technology, heat recovery, and smarter operational choices work together, download our latest report: Decarbonising Your Bakery.
