Last week, the Southland MP, Gore District Mayor Ben Bell and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority chief executive Marcos Pelenur were among the guests invited to an event to celebrate the boiler’s commissioning.
Mr Mooney said switching from a coal boiler to electric improved environmental outcomes and also provided a drawcard for the increasing number of consumers who care about how their produce is made.
"They’re now in a position where they can say to consumers, if you care about where your milk comes from and want a really nature-positive option, it’s right here."
The company received a portion of funding from the Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry fund (GIDI).
"An important point to make is that the initiative, drive and major investment came from Mataura Valley Milk (MVM).
"The GIDI fund is there to help those in industry adapt, but the real commitment comes from the industry players themselves.
MVM were now leading the field in New Zealand, Mr Mooney said.
"I look forward to seeing their growth."
The boiler conversion eliminates about 22,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent Scope 1 emissions from the site annually and establishes Mataura Valley Milk as the first all-electric dairy factory in New Zealand.
The new high-pressure electrode boiler (HPEB) provides all the process heat required in the operation of the plant, which converts milk collected from farmers in its area to a range of dairy nutritional products for sale in international markets.
MVM general manager Paddy Mc Myler said the project was more than the installation of a new boiler.
"The opportunity to be an early adopter and use this technology to remove fossil fuels from our site was compelling. It takes an ambitious company with a proactive approach to sustainability to adopt such a technology in the early phases."
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority chief executive Dr Marcos Pelenur said the completion of such an ambitious project within two years shows the benefits of strong, collaborative partnerships.
"EECA has worked with MVM for several years now, supporting it with an Energy Transition Accelerator opportunity assessment and highlighting the right energy solutions for MVM’s needs.
"These steps have no doubt helped accelerate the pace of change and the emissions reductions that have been achieved."
