The Carlsberg Group is ready with the first carbon-neutral brewery

Carlsberg Sverige now runs Sweden’s first big brewery with zero carbon emissions from its energy consumption. The brewery in Falkenberg is now 100% powered by biogas and green electricity.

Earlier this year, the Carlsberg Group launched a new sustainability programme called Together Towards Zero. One of its four ambitions “Zero Carbon Footprint” is supported by a target to eliminate carbon emissions from all breweries1 and achieving a 30% reduction in the beer-in-hand carbon footprint by 2030. To achieve the ambitious targets, Carlsberg Group’s breweries will use 100% renewable electricity and eliminate coal as a source of energy by 2022. As part of this journey, Carlsberg Sverige’s brewery in Falkenberg in Southern Sweden is now fuelled 100% on biogas and green electricity, which reduces the brewery’s carbon emissions from thermal energy and electricity to zero. The brewery has been using green electricity for many years, and 26% of the thermal energy comes from biogas generated from the brewery’s own waste water.

The remaining 74% have so far been natural gas, which has now, in cooperation with energy supplier Ørsted AB, been converted to biogas with certificates ensuring that the biogas supplied to the grid has replaced an equivalent amount of natural gas.

“For many, many years we have been working to create a more efficient brewery with as little impact on our environment as possible. It is motivating that we now take a big step forward and use solely carbon neutral energy sources”, says Ted Akiskalos, MD Carlsberg Sverige

In Sweden, the well-functioning infrastructure and availability of biogas from the grid makes it possible to convert to fully renewable sources by buying green energy, while other solutions will be deployed for markets where this is not an option. As part of its Together Towards Zero programme, Carlsberg Group has said it will rely on the best available options for developing and sourcing sustainable energy, including the establishment of solar panels and purchasing renewable energy where possible.

Through the science-based Targets initiative, Carlsberg Group has set an industry-leading 1.5 degree ambition compared to the Paris agreement’s base-level 2-degree goal. The Carbon Trust highlights Carlsberg among only three major companies having set and approved targets with this level of ambition.

“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”, says Simon Boas Hoffmeyer, sustainability director, Carlsberg Group.

Source: Carlsberg Group