Energy is one of the biggest operating costs for any bakery. Here is a detailed breakdown of how much electricity and gas each machine uses, what it costs, and 15 practical ways to reduce your energy bill.
When most people calculate the cost of running a bakery, they think about ingredients, labor, and rent. But energy — electricity and gas — is often the third or fourth largest expense, and in some bakeries, it is even higher than labor.
We had a customer in Kenya who was spending $800 a month on electricity for his bakery. That is more than he was paying for rent. And he was using old, inefficient equipment. After we helped him upgrade to more energy-efficient machines and implement some simple energy-saving practices, his bill dropped to $450 a month. That is $4,200 a year in savings — enough to pay for a new dough divider.
In many African countries, electricity is even more expensive. In Nigeria, industrial electricity can cost $0.15-0.25 per kWh, and many bakeries run on diesel generators, which can cost $0.30-0.50 per kWh. In that environment, energy efficiency is not just a nice-to-have — it is the difference between making a profit and going out of business.
So let us break it down. How much energy does each piece of bakery equipment actually use? And what can you do to reduce your consumption?
Mixers are one of the most energy-intensive machines in a bakery, because they have to work hard to knead dough. But they only run for short periods — typically 10-15 minutes per batch.
| Mixer Size | Power | Daily Usage (8 batches) | Daily kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20L | 1.5 kW | 2 hours | 3.0 kWh |
| 40L | 2.2 kW | 2.5 hours | 5.5 kWh |
| 60L | 3.0 kW | 3 hours | 9.0 kWh |
| 80L | 4.0 kW | 3.5 hours | 14.0 kWh |
Monthly cost (at $0.15/kWh): 20L = $13.50, 40L = $24.75, 60L = $40.50, 80L = $63.00
Energy-saving tip: Do not overmix. Most dough only needs 8-12 minutes of mixing. Overmixing wastes energy and can damage the dough. Also, make sure the mixer is properly sized for your batch — a 60L mixer running a 20L batch uses almost as much energy as a full batch.
Dough dividers use relatively little energy, because they only run for short bursts. Most of the energy is used for the motor that drives the dividing mechanism.
| Divider Type | Power | Daily Usage | Daily kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tabletop 16-piece | 0.4 kW | 1 hour | 0.4 kWh |
| Semi-automatic 36-piece | 0.75 kW | 2 hours | 1.5 kWh |
| Automatic continuous | 1.6 kW | 4 hours | 6.4 kWh |
Monthly cost (at $0.15/kWh): Tabletop = $1.80, Semi-automatic = $6.75, Automatic = $28.80
Energy-saving tip: Keep the dividing plates clean and well-lubricated. Dirty or dry plates cause the motor to work harder, using more energy. Also, batch your dividing — run the machine for 30 minutes straight rather than turning it on and off 10 times.
Sheeters use a small motor to drive the rollers, so energy consumption is low. Most of the energy is used when the machine is actually rolling dough.
| Sheeter Type | Power | Daily Usage | Daily kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tabletop 400mm | 0.4 kW | 2 hours | 0.8 kWh |
| Floor 520mm | 0.75 kW | 3 hours | 2.25 kWh |
| Floor 650mm | 1.1 kW | 4 hours | 4.4 kWh |
Monthly cost (at $0.15/kWh): Tabletop = $3.60, 520mm = $10.13, 650mm = $19.80
Energy-saving tip: Do not leave the sheeter running when you are not using it. Many bakers turn it on in the morning and leave it running all day, even when they are doing other tasks. Turn it off between uses — it only takes a few seconds to warm up.
Ovens are by far the biggest energy consumers in a bakery. They use electricity or gas to heat up to 200-250°C, and they need to maintain that temperature for hours. A single deck oven can use more energy than all your other machines combined.
| Oven Type | Power | Daily Usage | Daily kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-deck electric | 12 kW | 8 hours (4hr heat+4hr baking) | 60 kWh |
| 3-deck electric | 18 kW | 8 hours | 90 kWh |
| Rotary 32-tray electric | 24 kW | 10 hours | 150 kWh |
| 2-deck gas | 0.5 kW electric + 1.5kg/h gas | 8 hours | 2 kWh + 12kg gas |
Monthly cost (at $0.15/kWh): 2-deck electric = $270, 3-deck electric = $405, Rotary = $675
Gas vs Electric: Gas ovens are generally cheaper to run, especially in countries where gas is readily available and affordable. A gas oven can cost 30-50% less to operate than an equivalent electric oven. However, gas ovens require a gas connection and proper ventilation, and they may not be suitable for all locations.
Energy-saving tip: This is where you can save the most money. Preheat the oven only when you are ready to bake. Do not turn it on at 6 AM and then start baking at 9 AM — that is 3 hours of wasted energy. Also, keep the oven door closed as much as possible. Every time you open the door, the temperature drops 20-30°C, and the oven has to work harder to heat back up. Use the oven light to check on your bread instead of opening the door.
Proofers need to maintain a warm, humid environment (typically 35-38°C and 70-80% humidity), which uses energy for heating and humidification. But they are well-insulated, so once they reach temperature, they use relatively little energy to maintain it.
| Proofer Size | Power | Daily Usage | Daily kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (16-tray) | 2.0 kW | 12 hours (2hr heat+10hr maintain) | 12 kWh |
| Medium (32-tray) | 3.0 kW | 12 hours | 18 kWh |
Monthly cost (at $0.15/kWh): Small = $54, Medium = $81
Energy-saving tip: Do not overheat the proofer. Most dough only needs 35-38°C to proof properly. Setting it to 45°C does not make the dough proof faster — it can actually damage the yeast. Also, make sure the door seals are in good condition. A worn seal can let warm, humid air escape, causing the proofer to work harder.
Let us put it all together. Here is the total daily and monthly energy consumption for a typical small bakery with the following equipment:
| Machine | Daily kWh | Monthly kWh | Monthly Cost ($0.15/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40L mixer | 5.5 | 165 | $24.75 |
| Dough divider | 1.5 | 45 | $6.75 |
| Dough sheeter | 0.8 | 24 | $3.60 |
| 2-deck oven | 60 | 1,800 | $270.00 |
| Proofer | 12 | 360 | $54.00 |
| TOTAL | 79.8 kWh | 2,394 kWh | $359.10 |
As you can see, the oven accounts for 75% of the total energy consumption. The proofer is another 15%. The mixer, divider, and sheeter together account for only 10%. So if you want to save energy, focus on the oven and proofer first — that is where the big savings are.
And remember, this is at $0.15/kWh. If you are running on a diesel generator at $0.40/kWh, your monthly cost jumps to $957.60. That is why energy efficiency is so important in countries with unreliable or expensive electricity.
This is the single biggest thing you can do. Preheat the oven only when you are ready to bake. Bake in batches — do not run the oven for 2 loaves, then turn it off, then turn it on again an hour later. Plan your baking schedule so you use the oven efficiently. And keep the door closed!
If gas is available and affordable in your area, a gas oven can save you 30-50% on energy costs compared to electric. Gas also heats up faster and provides more even heat, which can improve bread quality. Just make sure you have proper ventilation and a carbon monoxide detector.
If your oven or proofer is old, the insulation may have degraded, causing heat to escape. You can add extra insulation to the outside of the oven, or install heat-reflective panels around it. This can reduce heat loss by 20-30%.
This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many bakeries leave their mixers, sheeters, and dividers running all day even when they are not being used. Make it a rule: if you are not using it, turn it off. Even a 0.4kW machine left on for 8 hours uses 3.2 kWh — that is $14.40 a month for nothing.
A well-maintained machine uses less energy than a poorly maintained one. Clean and lubricate moving parts regularly. Replace worn belts and bearings. Make sure motors are running smoothly. A machine that has to work harder because of poor maintenance can use 20-30% more energy.
Do not use a 60L mixer for a 10L batch. Do not use a 3-deck oven for 2 trays. Using a machine that is too big for the job wastes energy. Match your equipment to your production volume. If you are a small bakery, you probably do not need industrial-sized machines.
Do not heat the proofer at 4 AM if you do not start proofing until 7 AM. And do not leave it running all night if you only need it for 4 hours. Use a timer to turn the proofer on and off automatically. Most modern proofers have built-in timers, but even an inexpensive plug timer can save you a lot of energy.
Lighting may not be the biggest energy consumer, but it is an easy win. Replace incandescent and fluorescent bulbs with LED bulbs. LEDs use 75% less energy and last 25 times longer. For a bakery with 20 light fixtures, this can save $20-30 a month.
Good ventilation is important for a bakery — you need to remove heat, steam, and cooking fumes. But poor ventilation can waste energy. Make sure your exhaust hoods are properly sized and that they only run when needed. Use variable-speed fans that adjust based on temperature and humidity.
Your oven and proofer generate a lot of heat, most of which goes to waste. You can recover some of this heat to warm your bakery in the winter, or to preheat water for cleaning. Heat recovery systems can be expensive, but even simple measures like directing oven exhaust into the bakery in cold weather can help.
Many recipes call for warm water, but in most cases, cold water works just as well — the friction of mixing will warm the dough to the right temperature. Using cold water saves the energy needed to heat water, and it can also help control dough temperature in warm climates.
Instead of running the oven 5 times a day for small batches, try to batch your production so you can run the oven 2-3 times a day for larger batches. Every time you heat the oven from cold, you use a lot of energy. Keeping it at temperature and baking multiple batches is much more efficient.
You cannot manage what you do not measure. Install a smart meter or energy monitor so you can see exactly how much energy each machine is using and when. This will help you identify waste and track the impact of your energy-saving measures. Many utility companies offer smart meters for free or at low cost.
Energy saving is not just about equipment — it is also about behavior. Train your staff to turn off machines when not in use, keep oven doors closed, and follow energy-efficient practices. Make energy saving part of your bakery culture. A simple poster by the light switch reminding people to turn off lights can make a surprising difference.
If you are in a country with high electricity costs and plenty of sunshine, solar power can be a great investment. A 5kW solar system can generate about 20-25 kWh per day, which is enough to power your mixer, divider, sheeter, and lighting. The upfront cost can be significant, but with electricity prices rising, the payback period is getting shorter. And in many countries, there are government incentives for solar installations.
Energy is one of the biggest costs for any bakery, but it is also one of the most manageable. By understanding how much energy each machine uses and implementing simple energy-saving practices, you can reduce your energy bill by 20-40% without sacrificing production or quality.
The key is to focus on the big consumers first — the oven and the proofer. Together, they account for 90% of your energy use. Optimizing their usage will give you the biggest return on your effort.
And remember, energy saving is not a one-time project — it is an ongoing practice. Monitor your energy use, track your progress, and keep looking for new ways to save. Over time, those savings add up to real money that you can reinvest in growing your bakery.
We can help you calculate the energy consumption of different equipment configurations and recommend the most energy-efficient options for your bakery. We can also provide tips on reducing your energy costs based on your specific location and electricity rates.
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Email: sinry009@hnhcym.com