- Nederlands
- English
Latest News
7 October 2021
Blog SUSTAINABLE. CHARACTER.
We don't need to explain anymore that sustainability and corporate responsibility are in our DNA. But we do like to tell you more about the wonderful initiatives and projects that we, from our sustainability philosophy, support. This time, colleague Susan Ladrak, Sustainability Manager, talks about her love for nature and about an important project in our journey to a climate-neutral brewery.
'This morning I cycled to the brewery. The sun was just rising and there was still a thin layer of fog over the lawns. I looked at the sheep, the cows, the beautiful woods and the vast fields of grass. Beautiful nature so early in the morning, I can really enjoy it. And I also enjoy it when I hear the murmur of the sea. Have you ever listened to the loud sound of the crashing waves on the beach near the ocean at night? The feeling I get then, just breathtaking. How incredibly beautiful and precious nature is. I want to hold on to this nature, preserve it and share it with everyone, including future generations. That is what drives me in the pursuit of sustainability. It is a kind of inner compass that guides me in everything I do. That is why I am committed to achieving Grolsch's sustainable ambitions for more than 100%. And I can't do that alone, of course...
Climate-neutral brewery by 2025
At Grolsch, we have ambitious goals when it comes to sustainable and responsible business practices. Our ambition is to be a climate-neutral brewery by 2025. This means that we will be working entirely with sustainable fuels and that we will have zero CO2 emissions from the fuels we use in the brewery. To achieve this ambition, we drew up the Grolsch Energy Transition Plan in 2019 and we are now implementing it. In addition, even though we use fully sustainable fuels, it is important that we still produce as energy efficiently as possible. To this end, the 2022-2025 strategy is now being developed with the associated detailed plans.
Major steps
The energy transition plan clearly describes the major steps we want to take to achieve the 2025 ambition. Step 1 - purchasing green electricity - has been implemented since 2020; this has reduced our CO2 emissions by about 50%. In the second step, we will reduce another 5,500 tons of CO2 emissions. That is equivalent to the emissions of about 1800 households per year. The heat supply from Twence plays a major role in this.
Heat supply from Twence
Twence will be supplying heat, which is generated entirely by green power, to our brewery. The heat generated by Twence will be delivered through an underground pipeline. We will use this heat to heat our buildings and to heat the pasteurizers and rinsing machines. If everything goes according to plan, we will start construction of the heat supply project this year. It's cool that after years of intensive preparation we are almost there!
The technical challenges and route study for this heat supply were already worked out in 2020. The first part of the pipeline, from Twence to Ennatuurlijk's WarmteKrachtCentrale in Enschede, is already in place. As soon as we have all the permits, we can start laying a 1.3-kilometer-long underground pipeline from the CHP plant to Grolsch and making adjustments to the installations at Grolsch. Of course, the preparations for this are already in full swing. The heat is expected to be delivered to our brewery from the end of 2022.
100% sustainable
By biomass, we mean organic residual flows derived from animal and plant remains. When burned, you can generate heat from biomass. Green energy, in other words. Nevertheless, there is a lot of discussion about this subject these days. Coal-fired power plants are in fact making large-scale use of wood pellets from North America and the Baltic states in order to counteract CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and thus achieve the climate objectives. Of course, it is not really sustainable if wood from forests elsewhere in the world is used to generate energy in our country. That is why it is important to know that in the Biomass Power Plant of Twence only fuel derived from dyed and glued waste wood, which is not suitable for material reuse and comes from construction and demolition waste and bulky household waste, will be used. Thus, no woody biomass from forestry will be imported or used. The heat that we will be purchasing from Twence is therefore 100% sustainable!
Everyone can contribute to a (more) sustainable world
Everyone can contribute to sustainability and energy-efficient production, both in the brewery and in the office. Keep a critical eye on your own work environment; if you see or hear any leaks or abnormalities, report them and make sure they are repaired as soon as possible. And when we return to work at the office: make sure you turn off the heating and your monitor when you go home.
There is a part in almost everyone that strives for sustainability. In some people this is greater than in others. If we act together for a more sustainable world, we can all make great strides. It's a dead giveaway for some people, but many small steps ultimately make a big difference.
Do you have a question about sustainability at Grolsch, or a good, sustainable tip? Please feel free to contact me!'.
Susan Ladrak
Sustainability Manager
