Bud…Weis…Err….Bud…Weis….Err… Got to love the iconic Budweiser super bowl commercials. Anyway, did you know Budweiser has been recycling 99% of the waste it generates from production of his products since the late 1800’s when Anheuser Busch recycled brewer’s grain into cattle feed? We like it.
Recently, the Fairfield Anheuser-Busch Brewery has started using over 6 acres of photovoltaic solar arrays, and they are providing 3% of the brewery’s electricity. That is not a lot, but it is a start. Sunedison installed and generates the solar energy on the brewery property after a partnership formed last year between Sunedison and Anheauser-Busch. In addition to the Solar energy, the brewery constructed a Bio-Energy Recovery System (BERS). The BERs provides more than 15% of the brewery’s fuel needs by turning brewery wastewater into renewable biogas. This biogas decreases the need for natural gas for energy for the brewery.
Those are not the only changes the Fairfield Anheuser-Busch brewery has taken in order to reduce their carbon footprint. Since 2004, there have been several other changes including recovering steam to heat water in the brewhouse, installing more efficient boiler burners, new energy-efficient air compressors, and replacing brewery lighting with energy efficient fixtures. These changes have decreased brewery fuel usage by 38%, water usage by 32%, and electricity by 14%. Not bad.
The next step is Anheuser-Busch is thinking about installing a wind turbine as part of its goal to have the brewery operating on 15% of renewable fuel by the end of 2009. Company wise, Anheuser-Busch plans to be operating on 15% renewable fuel by the end of 2010, and I am glad to hear that it is not only the Fairfield brewery making green progress.
Anheuser-Busch still has some work to do to be as green as the Budweiser frogs, but they are setting a good example by making changes to using more renewable fuels. Next step we would like to see from Anheuser-Busch would be for all of their products to go organic. That would be awesome.
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