A little bit of the bubbly: Welsh brewery to become first powered by hydrogen

A Welsh brewery is to become the first in the UK powered by hydrogen.

Budweiser Brewing Group has announced plans to use green hydrogen in order to decarbonise operations at its Magor brewery.

The beer giant has joined forces with UK-based green hydrogen energy company Protium to build the first large-scale hydrogen generation system of its kind.

The project, which is expected to be commercially operational by 2024, will see the hydrogen fuel the production, as well as its key logistics assets including HGVs and forklift trucks.

The facility will include a battery, hydrogen storage unit, and a hydrogen refuelling station used for HGVs, saving approximately 15,500 tonnes of CO2e per year from 2027.

Mauricio Coindreau, head of sustainability and procurement at Budweiser Brewing Group, said that it would be the equivalent of removing roughly 3,300 cars from UK roads, or 12,000 long haul flights per year.

“Sustainability and the wellbeing of our planet are at the core of our business. Innovative energy solutions like hydrogen have huge potential as a key part of our sustainability strategy, helping us significantly reduce our UK carbon footprint,” he said.

“As a company we are committed to continuously exploring technology that can help us meet our ambitious 2025 Sustainability Goals, so the key focus of this project is to ensure the efficient operation, application, and sustainability advantages of green hydrogen.”

‘Exciting’

Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd said that she was very pleased the project was taking place in Wales.

“Tackling climate change is a priority for the Welsh Government and this project at an important employer in the sector will be important to our efforts. It also has the potential to create new jobs and exciting opportunities in the area for years to come,” she said.

The partnership with Budewiser is not Protium’s first venture into decarbonising the production of alcohol.

Earlier this year the company, which has a base in Scotland, revealed it is working at the Bruichladdich distillery in Islay to explore using green hydrogen to distil whisky.

Chris Jackson, chief executive of Protium, said: “Green hydrogen is a truly exciting opportunity for the global energy sector and the UK economy as a whole, with various energy leaders and environmentalists supporting its deployment, so we’re delighted to be working with a brand that shares our forward-thinking vision.

“The entire Protium team is thrilled to showcase the potential of green hydrogen and the benefits it can deliver to Budweiser, the local community in Magor, and the environment.”