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Daily CSR
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Brewing Towards ‘A Better Today And Tomorrow’ With ‘Zero Carbon Brewer’



11/26/2017

Carbon neutral breweries of Carlsberg Group are ready to lead the industry with an example.


Dailycsr.com – 26 November 2017 – The Carlsberg Group came out with a “new sustainability programme” called “Together Towards Zero”, in line with its “four ambitions” to move towards “Zero Carbon Footprint”, whereby the company targets to “eliminate carbon emissions from all breweries” besides reducing the “beer-in-hand carbon footprint” by 30% within the 2030.
 
In order to achieve the above mentioned targets, the breweries of Carlsberg Group will turn to hundred percent “renewable electricity” and will entirely stop sourcing energy from coal by the year of 2022. In fact, in the journey to achieve “Zero Carbon Footprint”, the brewery of Carlsberg Sverige situated in Falkenberg is now running on hundred percent “biogas and green electricity”, whereby reducing its “carbon emissions from thermal energy and electricity to zero”.
 
It has been “many years” now that the brewery is using “green electricity”, as twenty six percent of the “thermal energy” requirement is fulfilled by “biogas generated from the brewery's own waste water”, while the balance seventy four percent of requirement has “so far been” met through “natural gas”. The latter, however, has undergone a conversion into biogas with “certificates” in association with the “energy supplier Ørsted AB” to ensure that “biogas supplied to the grid has replaced an equivalent amount of natural gas”.
 
The MD of Carlsberg Sverige, Ted Akiskalos, said:
“For many, many years we have been working to create a more efficient brewery with as little impact on our environment as possible. This is clear when looking at how much we have reduced our energy consumption over the years. It is motivating that we now take a big step forward and use solely carbon neutral energy sources”.
 
Given the “well-functioning infrastructure” of Sweden coupled with the “availability of biogas from the grid”, one can buy green energy and convert entirely to “renewable sources”. Moreover, other solutions “will be deployed for markets where this is not an option”. Carrying out the programme of “Together Towards ZERO”, Carlsberg Group informed that it is relying only on “best available options” to develop as well as source “sustainable energy” which also includes establishing “solar panels and purchasing renewable energy where possible”.
 
Carlsberg Group’s “Science-Based Targets initiative” has led the company to set an “industry-leading 1.5 degree ambition” in comparison to the “Paris agreement’s base-level 2-degree goal”. Carlsberg is also featured in the highlights of Carbon Trust, which only mentions “three major companies” who have not only set but only “approved targets with this level of ambition”.
 
Furthermore, Carbon Trust’s chief executive Tom Delay said:
“Our work with Carlsberg has explored the range of options they will need to adopt in the coming years to evolve to a zero carbon brewer. This will include adoption of innovative energy efficiency technologies, own renewable electricity and heat, as well as sourcing of renewable energy, such as biogas. Seeing this first Carlsberg brewery make this transition so soon is very encouraging and should be seen as a demonstration of how industries can embrace new technologies to mitigate climate change”.
 
While, the “Sustainability Director” at Carlsberg Group, Simon Boas Hoffmeyer, added:
“Climate change is perhaps the most important issue for our society today, both for citizens, governments and companies all over the world, and we are very pleased with the positive development in Carlsberg Sverige. This underlines our willingness to contribute to tackling climate change at the same time as governments are focusing on scaling and speeding up impact at the COP23 in Bonn these weeks. Carlsberg Group will continue to chase our ambitions and targets, as we strive to brew for a better today and tomorrow”.
 
 
 
References:
ethicalperformance.com