As days get longer and brighter, we are finally starting to see light at the end of the tunnel one year after the global pandemic hit the UK. With some great recent news on the spirits duty freeze and the four-month suspension of US tariffs on Scotch whisky, it is a perfect moment to take a sneak peek into what Scottish distilleries have planned for a better future.
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has adopted a sustainability strategy in January which includes a commitment to reach net-zero emissions in its own operations by 2040. This target is five years ahead of the Scottish Government's and 10 years ahead of the UK's. The SWA also plans for all new product packaging to be either reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
Assisting with this goal, the UK government has launched a Green Distilleries competition, the first phase of which saw £10 million awarded to 17 UK businesses. Of those, 11 Scottish projects received between £43,000 and £75,000 to decarbonise distilling.
Colorado Construction, an engineering and construction business, received funding for two projects: hydrogen and dual hydrogen/biofuel burners for distilleries and the conversion of waste distillery draff and pot ale into a gasification-gas.
Locogen, a developer, contractor and consultant in renewable energy, will assess the feasibility of switching a distillery from fuel oil to hydrogen burners that provide direct process heat for distillation.
Sunamp, a specialist in thermal energy storage solutions, is supported by Heriot Watt University to demonstrate how "phase change material thermal storage" can help distilleries switch to zero and low carbon renewable technology as their main method of heat generation.
Supercritical Solutions received funding for an electrolysis system (which uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen) to produce hydrogen on site at unparalleled efficiency and minimal cost, with renewable power supported by waste heat.
The European Marine Energy Centre is partnering with Edinburgh Napier University to assess four different technology pathways to facilitate green hydrogen fuel-switching with Orkney Distilling.
The Edrington Group plan on developing an innovative stillhouse heat recovery system with high temperature heat pumps at Highland Park Distillery.
The Uist Distilling Company was awarded two grants: for using hydrogen heating thermal oil to replace steam in the distillation process, and for using a high temperature heat store that would allow a distillery to be run purely on electricity.
Bruichladdich Distillery will be assisted by Protium Energy, a developer of sustainable energy projects, to meet its 2025 net zero emissions target with a pioneering heating technology.
InchDairnie project to use hydrogen on site to decarbonise process heat; and Eden Mill got funding for a combination of heat pumps, green hydrogen and biomass.
It is encouraging to see so many Scottish projects awarded UK government funding and this places Scotland in first position to lead the way in the green industrial revolution. The UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) hosted in Glasgow later this year will be a great opportunity to display Scottish efforts and ingenuity in the fight for a green future.
Originally Published March 2021
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