Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, a proud part of AB InBev, and renewable energy company, CleanEarth, today announces reaching a new milestone in the brewer’s sustainability efforts. A new wind turbine has been installed at Budweiser Brewing Group’s brewery in Magor, South Wales to help power the site with renewable electricity.
With blades of an incredible 68 metres in length, the turbine is believed to be the longest to enter commercial operation on UK soil. The blades’ tips reach a height of 150 metres and sweep an area the equivalent of two Wembley football pitches.
The newly installed turbine will supply nearly a quarter of the energy consumed at Budweiser Brewing Group’s brewery in Magor. As the site produces more than 1 billion pints of beer each year– including Budweiser, Stella Artois, Corona and Bud Light, its power demand is considerable. The turbine is the latest step in Budweiser Brewing Group’s commitment to brew its beers with 100% renewable electricity by next year, and its continued investment in renewables.
The turbine is located about a mile from the brewery and serves the plant via a direct wire, with Budweiser Brewing Group purchasing the power from CleanEarth through a power purchase agreement (PPA).
The logistical challenge of transporting blades of this size meant the conventional route by road was dropped in favour of shipping them an extra 500 miles by sea. Arriving into Bristol’s Avonmouth Dock, this meant just the last 20 miles were negotiated by road.
The combination of sheer size with the latest design and engineering technology makes the Magor turbine highly efficient in harnessing the available wind, providing an output of up to 3.5 megawatts. It will generate 9 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year – the equivalent of powering 2,300 Welsh homes – while saving more than 2,600 tonnes of CO2 emissions. That’s well over 65,000 tonnes of carbon savings during its operational lifetime.
Lloyd Manship, Brewery Manager, Magor Brewery, said: “Having worked at the brewery for more than 20 years, it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come in our sustainability initiatives. The installation of this wind turbine a mile from the Brewery is going to make a huge difference in helping us to operate more sustainably long into the future.”
Paula Lindenberg, President, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, added: “We’re committed to brewing Britain’s most sustainable beers – we are close to brewing our beers with 100% renewable electricity, and we’re excited about this next step. Partnerships like this one with CleanEarth help drive positive change – making it easier for people to make sustainable choices at the pub or on their weekly shop.”
Dean Robson, Managing Director, CleanEarth, said: “We are proud to work with Budweiser Brewing Group on this project. Too often corporate goals are not coupled with strong and effective action – but Budweiser Brewing Group have been supportive at all levels, and have acted throughout with a clarity that’s consistent with their ambitious environmental targets. As a result of this collaboration, CleanEarth will generate low-carbon, low-cost energy into the Magor brewery for years to come.”
In 2018, Budweiser Brewing Group announced its commitment to brew its portfolio of beers with 100% renewable electricity through a 15 year PPA deal to power its two major UK breweries in Magor, South Wales and Samlesbury, Lancashire. This forms part of its ambitious 2025 Sustainability Goals.
