CO2-neutral brewery in 2025
Reducing CO2 & energy consumption
Susan Ladrak
"Our ambition is a CO2 neutral brewery by 2025."
Reducing CO₂ & energy consumption
We are proud of the great results we manage to achieve every year in terms of reducing our energy consumption. It is our ambition to be an entirely carbon-neutral brewery by 2025, in which all energy we use is generated in a sustainable manner.
Objective
Improve the efficiency of our filling lines
Result
Several improvement initiatives started and implemented to achieve efficiency improvement and energy reduction. Due to COVID-19 we have not been able to realize all improvements.
Objective
Optimization tunnel pasteurizers
Result
Various modifications done (such as insulation, mats and controls) increasing thermal efficiency.
Objective
Improvements to reduce energy consumption in production departments
Result
Various initiatives implemented, such as switching off dryers when outside temperature is low, switching off blowers and pumps when there is no production, standardization of processes combined with short interval control, allowing quick adjustments in the event of deviations.
Objective
Installation of new dryer in filter cellar
Result
Study carried out on this new dryer, the savings to be realized turned out to be nil. Therefore we decided not to carry out this project.
Objective
Optimization cooling installation
Result
Due to additional quality requirements from Asahi, the temperature of the refrigerant had to be lowered, resulting in higher consumption compared to last year. In 2022, in cooperation with the University of Twente and possibly third parties, an optimization of the system will be carried out.
Objective
Implementation of projects from energy transition plan
Result
The detailed design for the various installations has been carried out, permits have been applied for and granted. The reliability of the back-up boiler has been improved and the necessary services/materials have been procured. Everything is on track to achieve the planned steps for 2022 in 2022!
Objective
Reducing natural gas consumption by replacing pallet cover machine
Result
Design of replacement machine has been made and procurement has been done. Installation of the new machine is planned in 2022.
Objective
Optimizing boiler efficiency; reduction of residual energy consumption
Result
In collaboration with the University of Twente, we conducted research into optimization of pumping systems within the brewery. For the cooling system, the adaptations were implemented, resulting in energy savings.
Because of implementation of the TopClip and omission of tray film for export Stock Keeping Units, less energy is needed in the can line.
Optimize evaporation brew house, reducing energy losses and thus making brewing more energy efficient.
Replacing the lighting in part of the packaging lines with LED lighting.
Good performance of the wastewater treatment plant, producing over 10% more biogas per hl of beer produced than planned.
Replacing lighting in office environment with LED lighting.
Beer/CO2 efficiency (In kgCO2 eq/hl) 2,7
Green energy in total energy consumption 48%
OBJECTIVES 2022
- Optimization of cooling system in cooperation with the University of Twente
- Standardization and introduction of Kaizen in packaging
- Implementation pump optimizations from study 2021
- Optimization heat consumption brew house
- Optimization degassed water system
- Implementation of energy transition projects
- Optimization CO₂ system
- Optimization water and energy consumption bottle washers
Susan Ladrak, Engineering Manager - Royal Grolsch
“We reduce our brewery’s overall carbon emissions every year, but there is still a lot we have to do if we want to be 90% climate neutral by 2050, as is stipulated by the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Governments and companies committed themselves to these objectives, and that includes Grolsch! We are currently working on various scenarios to help us achieve our ambition: becoming a sustainable brewery. We are investigating several alternative energy sources and seek to initiate partnerships within the region. Our ambition is to be an entirely carbon-neutral brewery by 2025. Simulteously, we are keeping an eye on operational costs and the availability of energy in the future. We believe we are responsible for contributing to a better, greener and circular world."
Activities
Smart combinations save 200 tons of CO2 per year in transport
Sustainable heat from Twence
100% green energy
Increased biogas production
By installing a decanter (centrifuge), we reduced the amount of solids in the wastewater. This allows the wastewater treament plant to operate more efficiently, producing over 32,000 Nm3 of additional biogas in 2020 compared to 2019, This is enough to supply about 25 households with gas for an entire year.
Sustainable thinking
Various initiatives have been set in motion within our production departments to ensure that a sustainable way of thinking is or becomes the standard with all colleagues. One example is the daily discussing of water and energy reduction at filling line/area level, so that deviations can be spotted more quickly and actions can be taken to solve the problem quickly. There is also a weekly consultation between our sustainability engineers and our operators to further develop and implement ideas and initiatives from the teams, resulting in the realization of sustainable savings. Brainstorming sessions have in addition been held with all operators, technicians and team leaders from packaging, in order to arrive at a good reduction plan for 2021 (and beyond).
Electricity savings for the brewery with sun-resistant foil
At the brewery, a sun-resistant foil is applied to the windows of the filtration area. This foil blocks up to around 60% of the sun's heat radiation. The filtration area is a room that is cooled to 12 degrees to, among other things, prevent the growth of microbiology. The sun-resistant foil decreases the amount of heat radiation that enters the filtration area, thus decreasing the amount of energy required to cool the space. Because we generate this energy ourselves with electricity, the foil provides electricity savings for the brewery of approximately 30,000 kWh per year. This is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of over 20 households.
Using a heat camera, the difference between a window that has not yet been covered with sun-resistant foil and a window that has been covered with sun-resistant foil has been measured. This measurement showed great results even on a cloudy day. The heat camera showed that, on the inside of the filtration area, a window without foil has a temperature of 19.4 degrees. A window with sun-resistant foil has a temperature of 16.0 degrees. The temperature difference between the glass and the filtration area itself is approximately halved by applying the sun-resistant foil - in cloudy weather.
Energy Transition Plan
It is our ambition to be an entirely carbon-neutral brewery by 2025, in which all energy we use is generated in a sustainable manner. To this end, we will continue to reduce energy consumption and increase biogas production. In addition, we are working towards replacing fossil fuels with sustainable, carbon-neutral energy sources. This led us to switch to sustainably generated electricity on 1 January 2020, for instance. This move alone is set to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 50%.
In order to become entirely carbon neutral, all energy used must be generated in a sustainable manner. We have drawn up a roadmap for this purpose and are currently working hard to put the first steps into practice. We want to be able to fulfil approximately 2/3 of our heat requirement sustainably by 2023, by means of the following projects: Biogas Optimisation, Test for replacement incinerator, and Sustainable heat supply from Twence.
Paris climate agreement
In order to meet the requirements set by the Paris climate agreement, we will have to save 9PJ of energy in the Netherlands. To achieve this, the government has made agreements with various companies (known as the MEE Addendum). In the context of these agreements, Grolsch has promised to save approximately 1.5% more energy from 2017 – 2020. The heat recovery system linked to the wort cooling system was installed and put into operation in 2019. Savings will be visible in 2020.
