Energy

Scottish whisky given £5m from Green Investment Bank to go green

Published

11 years ago

May 22, 2014

Blue & Green Tomorrow

The Green Investment Bank (GIB) has announced it will help fund a range of energy efficiency measures for a number of Scottish whisky distilleries, helping slash the industry’s carbon footprint.

The projects will see oil-fuelled boilers replaced with biomass boilers, allowing the distilleries to save energy.

Aberfeldy distillery in Perthshire, which will benefit from the initiative, has estimated that the measure could cut its carbon footprint by up to 90%.

Rob Cormie, group operations at the Green Investment Bank, said, “Projects like this can help distilleries to save money and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. I would encourage other distilleries to install a biomass boiler or other energy saving technology – an investment to make long-term savings and to help to meet the industry’s ambitious green targets”.

Meanwhile Stuart Lowthian, global technical director of Bacardi – the firm that owns the Aberfeldy distillery – added, “We are excited to be implementing a sustainable energy solution for our Aberfeldy distillery which will reduce our carbon footprint by around 90%.

“This will be our second investment in biomass solutions for energy generation in the UK. The first was in our Bombay Sapphire gin distillery at Laverstoke Mill and we will be following up with a similar biomass investment in our tequila distillery in Mexico later this year”.

The boilers will be fuelled by sustainable, locally-sourced wood pellet, provided by the firm Balcas.

Sam Gardner, head of policy at WWF Scotland, commented, “It’s great to see Scotland’s iconic whisky industry teaming up with the nation’s growing renewables industry.

“This investment makes both business and climate sense for Aberfeldy distillery, helping to slash carbon emissions and reduce energy bills, whilst supporting local jobs.”

Photo: macronix via Flickr