Australia’s leading brewer, Carlton & United Breweries (CUB), is today taking a significant step towards sourcing 100 percent of its electricity from renewables.
CUB is adopting renewable energy as the way forward with the signing of a 12-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with German renewable energy developer, service provider and wholesaler, BayWa r.e.
BayWa r.e. will provide 74,000 MWh per year of renewable energy, enough to power 7,500 homes, sourced from its solar farm in Mildura, Victoria. CUB’s partnership with BayWa r.e. will create up to 300 jobs through construction and opportunities for long term employment through the solar farm’s ongoing operation and maintenance.
CUB CEO, Jan Craps, said “this represents an important step in CUB’s commitment to 100 per cent of its electricity being sourced from renewables. As one of Australia’s first and leading manufacturing businesses, we have a responsibility to ensure we play our part in tackling climate change and a range of environmental challenges.”
CUB is also moving towards onsite solar generation, which will see solar panels on the rooves at each of our breweries.
CUB is absolutely committed to delivering on an ambitious environmental and sustainability agenda. Already our Yatala brewery is a world leader in water efficiency, and the move to 100 per cent renewable electricity solidifies our sustainability commitment.
Mr Craps, said the company is reducing its environmental footprint while also gaining access to reliable and affordable power:
“Beyond our driving commitment to reduce our emissions, the investment also stacks up when you look at the reduced price we will pay to power our operations. Moving to renewable energy will ensure that we have certainty of supply and pricing, something that is incredibly important for a manufacturing business like ours.”
Sites will remain connected to the grid, allowing excess capacity to be fed back into the system.
Construction of the 112 MW solar farm is underway and BayWa r.e. has already self-financed and constructed the 4km grid connection. It will be built by Melbourne-based Beon Energy Solutions.
Matthias Taft, Board Member of BayWa AG with responsibility for the energy business, commented:
“BayWa r.e. is delighted to be helping CUB to achieve its renewable energy goals.
“For BayWa r.e., the partnership with CUB represents another success in Australia. Since entering the market, BayWa r.e. is now active in solar and wind project development and the solar installer wholesaler market.”
Carlton & United Breweries (CUB):
CUB is a proud part of the AB InBev family. We trace our origins in Australia to the mid-nineteenth century when we first brewed Victoria Bitter and even earlier to the Cascade Brewery which commenced brewing in Tasmania in 1832. We employ more than 1,600 people at our Australian breweries and various offices around the country.
CUB brews some of Australia’s most iconic and loved beers, including Victoria Bitter, Carlton Draught, Great Northern, Pure Blonde, Carlton Dry, Melbourne Bitter, Crown Lager, Cascade Premium Light, and the Yak Ales.
CUB is committed to the responsible consumption of alcohol, including working to reduce harmful drinking practices in Australia. CUB was a founding member of DrinkWise and is one of its largest financial contributors.
For more information about Carlton & United Breweries, please visit www.cub.com.au
