Beet sugar is a 100-day sprint: evaporation-train thermodynamics decide the campaign's fuel bill. Multi-effect evaporators already cascade steam — the frontier is compressing it (MVR) and stopping the standing losses that a seasonal plant never gets around to fixing.
| Year | Free allocation (EU) | Payable carbon cost | Annual bill (per 100,000 t sugar) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 97.5% | €0.48 / t sugar | €48,375 |
| 2030 | 51.5% | €9.38 / t sugar | €938,475 |
| 2034 | 0.0% | €19.35 / t sugar | €1,935,000 |
At EUA €77.4 (11 Jun 2026) and ≈0.2–0.35 t CO2/t sugar (beet; campaign operation). EU ETS industry schedule; exporters under CBAM follow the mirrored phase-in. Power sectors pay 100% from day one.
Indicative reduction potential of each measure against the relevant emissions share (sources: IEA industry roadmaps, sector associations — see each measure page). Measures stack but don't simply add.
Campaign operation means every loss repeats 24/7 for 100 days then hides for nine months — the pre-campaign insulation audit is the cheapest fuel a sugar factory buys. Removable covers fit the rhythm: stripped at maintenance, back before the first beet.
Method: ASTM C680 / ISO 12241 surface energy balance — the same engine as our public calculators. Typical removable-insulation effect across hot-process plants: 2–5% of fuel-related CO2, payback up to 2 years.
Direct-emission intensities, typical published values per industry page — units differ by product; see each page for sources.
