LEBANON, Ky., June 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Global beverage
leader Diageo announced today that its new Kentucky whiskey distillery, which will
distill Bulleit, is expected to be carbon neutral – one of the
largest in North America, and a
first for Diageo. Reinforcing Diageo's global commitment to
reducing its carbon emissions and addressing climate change, the
site will be powered by 100% renewable electricity, with a capacity
to produce up to 10 million proof gallons per year.
The new distillery, which is currently under construction in
Lebanon, Kentucky, reflects
Diageo's commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions and
moves the company closer to its goal of sourcing 100% of its
electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Employing electrode
boilers, the site will utilize a mix of renewable electricity
sources to power a 72,000 square-foot distillery, dry house, and
warehousing facilities. As previously announced "The Diageo Lebanon
Distillery" will have the capability to distill a variety of
bourbon and American whiskey brands. Bulleit will be the first and
lead brand produced at the new distillery – supplementing existing
production at The Bulleit Distilling Co. in Shelbyville, Kentucky. This move will further
strengthen the brand's commitment to a more sustainable future.
"As a company we know that our long-term sustainable growth
depends on reducing our reliance on fossil fuels that contribute to
climate change," said Perry
Jones, President, North America Supply for Diageo. "This
groundbreaking undertaking to electrify our operations and then
power them with renewable electricity will result in one of the
largest carbon neutral distilleries in North America. This is a significant step to
strengthen our commitment to minimizing our carbon emissions and
will result in an important reduction of Diageo's environmental
impact on a global level."
"For Bulleit, our passion for sustainability began when we built
the Bulleit Distilling Co. in Shelbyville, where we focus on reducing carbon
emissions, water conservation and waste management during
production. Then, when we opened our Visitor Experience there, we
chose to implement practices like eliminating single use plastics
from our bar and sourcing locally-grown organic cocktail garnishes
from our onsite garden," said Sophie Kelly, SVP Whiskies, Diageo NA. "Our
commitment to the environment evolves with the Lebanon distillery, where no fossil fuels will
be consumed for the production of Bulleit. This allows us to really
begin to double down on our ambition to reinvent category
standards."
To achieve carbon neutrality at the site, Diageo plans to
incorporate a variety of features that will avoid annual carbon
emissions by more than 117,000 metric tons[1]. This is the
equivalent of taking more than 25,000 cars off the road for an
entire year[2].
These features include:
- Electrification of operations:
-
- Electrode boilers will enable the avoidance of direct carbon
emissions that would normally be generated by the use of
fossil-fuel fired boilers. Electrode boilers also offer benefits
that include reduced noise pollution and reduction of other air
contaminants.
- All vehicles operated onsite, including trucks and forklifts,
will be electric, and charged onsite by renewable energy.
- 100% of the steam used onsite – for the cooking, distillation
and drying process – will be generated by the electrode boilers
(which are powered by the renewable electricity)
- Energy efficiency embedded into facility design:
-
- Energy efficiency will be optimized in the new electric
boilers
- Exterior lighting will be solar powered
- All onsite interior lighting will be light-emitting diode
(LED)
- Warehouse interior lighting will only activate during loading
or unloading activities
- Lowered roofs will minimize heating and cooling
requirements
- Sourcing renewable electricity:
-
- Long term contracts with the local utility will allow for the
purchase of zero greenhouse gas emission electricity from certified
renewable sources.
- Renewable electricity will be supplied by Inter-County Energy
and East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC).
- Water savings design
-
- Site is being designed to be industry-leading in efficiency and
minimization of water usage
- Zero waste to landfill
-
- Once operational, the site is designed to minimize use of
materials and waste through reuse and recycling, and any residual
waste will not be sent to landfill
"I welcome Diageo's commitment to carbon neutrality and using
renewable electric at its Bulleit distillery in Lebanon. This is a notable example of a
historic Kentucky industry
embracing a new future," said Kentucky Governor Andy
Beshear. "To continue the commonwealth's economic
recovery, attract business investment and create jobs for
Kentuckians across all counties, it's important we and our economic
development partners provide a cost-competitive energy mix. Energy
diversity is something more industries are considering when they
choose where to locate, and offering the right mix will help us
provide a brighter future for generations to come."
"We want to extend a warm welcome as Diageo makes this valuable
investment in Lebanon-Marion County," said Jerry Carter, President and CEO of Inter-County
Energy, which will provide electric service to the Lebanon distillery. "Inter-County Energy is
proud to work in partnership with Diageo and East Kentucky Power
Cooperative (EKPC) to understand the energy needs of this facility
and to develop innovative ways to meet the sustainability goals of
one of the largest renewable energy consumers in Kentucky."
A Commitment to Sustainability
Committed to
decarbonization with approved science-based targets, Diageo is part
of a pioneering group of organizations that are championing a green
recovery and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals, through
membership of the United Nations Global Compact, We Mean Business
Coalition and other key global advocacy organizations. Also, as
mentioned above, as a signatory to RE100, Diageo aims to source
100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. In
addition, Diageo has also signed onto the global Race to Zero
campaign, a commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by
2050. The company recently joined over 150 multinationals to
reaffirm our commitment to Science Based Targets and urge
governments around the world to align their COVID-19 recovery
efforts with the latest climate science.
Bulleit has a long-standing commitment to sustainability at
their current distillery in Shelbyville,
KY, which was recently honored with the title of 'Highly
Commended' for Sustainable Distillery of the Year at Whisky
Magazine's 2020 Icons of Whisky American Awards. The
Shelbyville site includes the first ever industrial solar array in
Shelby County, and a focus on
reducing their carbon footprint by sourcing local ingredients from
local farmers. In addition, Bulleit implemented thoughtful
practices at the Visitor Experience, such as a partnership with the
non-profit Oceanic Global to ensure its tasting experience and
cocktail bar aligns with The Oceanic Standard (TOS), a badge and
certification for venues that have adopted sustainable operating
practices and are committed to eliminating single-use plastics.
Investing in Kentucky
Bulleit continues a strong
trajectory of growth, with the brand continuing to gain share, and
global volume up more than six percent year over year[3]. Diageo
broke ground on the $130 million
distillery in July of 2019, and the site is expected to be fully
operational in 2021. Once fully operational the facility will
employ 30 full-time team members. Since 2014, Diageo has invested
more than $500 million in
Kentucky. This facility will
supplement the company's other Kentucky operations: Stitzel-Weller in
Louisville, and The Bulleit
Distilling Company and Visitor Experience in Shelbyville.
About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage
alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including
Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit
and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One Vodkas,
Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio,
Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and
the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more
than 180 countries around the world. For more information about
Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at
www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking
resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways
to share best practice.
Follow us on social media for news and information about Diageo
North America: @Diageo_NA on Twitter and Instagram. Celebrating
life, every day, everywhere.
Media contacts:
Kristen
Crofoot, Diageo: Kristen.Crofoot@diageo.com
Allison Fleischer, Diageo:
Allison.Fleischer@diageo.com
Note to editors:
Carbon neutrality of Diageo's new
Lebanon, Kentucky distillery for
all Scope 1 and 2 emissions from site operations will be achieved
by Diageo in accordance with PAS 2060 for the period commencing
with the first grain delivery to completion of distilling
operations, certified by Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. View the PAS
2060 Qualifying Explanatory Statement. Through sourcing for
renewable electricity and the electrification of operations, the
site will only require residual amounts of carbon offsets to be
purchased, associated with operational elements such as emergency
back-up power.
[1] Both direct and indirect carbon emissions - comprising over
35,000 metric tons direct emissions, and over 82,000 metric tons of
indirect emissions of CO2-eq
[2] According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator):
https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
[3] Diageo results, F20 P6, +6.4%
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SOURCE Diageo North America