Beer and you: How Budweiser is bringing climate change talk to your table

By 2025, each bottle of Budweiser—the iconic beer brand from AB InBev, the world's leading brewer—will feature a renewable electricity symbol to mark that it has been brewed from renewable electricity sources. With over 41 million Budweiser bottles being sold each day across the world, this symbol will trigger conversations about reducing carbon emissions among consumers, creating awareness and momentum for change.

This is a part of the company's commitment towards Climate Action, one of the four pillars of its 2025 Global Sustainability Goals, which include Smart Agriculture, Water Stewardship, and Circular Packaging. The company has aligned its four pillars with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 goals.

A low carbon footprint

In India, AB InBev is making rapid strides in its global commitment of moving towards 100% purchased electricity from renewable sources. It has 10 breweries across the country, and eventually, all of them will be powered by renewable electricity. By making this shift, AB InBev will contribute towards mitigating the effects of global warming, leading to a healthier environment and securing the future of the communities it works with.

Its Mysore-based brewery, SPR produces Budweiser, in addition to beers such as Hoegaarden, Knock Out and Beck's Ice. In 2018, SPR became AB InBev's third brewery globally and first in India to be powered by renewable resource, with the other two based in the USA.

For SPR, AB InBev has signed a 10-year solar power purchase agreement with Canadian renewable energy infrastructure company, AMP to supply 3.6 gigawatt hours per year. The plant has a capacity of 30 MWAC and is located 60 km away from the unit. SPR is already meeting ~70% of its electricity requirements from solar power. By adopting these measures, it has reduced its carbon footprint by a significant 3.5 million kgs.

In 2019, AB InBev's PALS brewery at Aurangabad, Maharashtra became their second facility in the country to use solar energy. The solar microgrid has a capacity of 526 kWp, generating 2,000 Units per day. The positive climate impact by shifting to this renewable resource is equivalent to the carbon absorption of 27,000 mature trees or driving 49 lakh kilometers in a passenger vehicle yearly without any CO₂ reduction. In addition, this initiative resulted in cost savings too. .

The third and the most recent brewery making a shift to renewable energy sources is its Crown Brewery, located in Telangana, which has implemented an onsite solar plant of 998 KWp.

Combating climate change

AB InBev has been leading from the front in India, striving to preserve natural resources which are the key ingredients for beer for future generations, while working closely with the communities involved in the process. Its target of purchasing 100% of electricity from renewable sources by 2025 and will reduce CO₂ emissions by 25% across their value chain.

Diving deeper into climate change, AB InBev is approaching carbon reduction following science-based targets, equivalent of taking over a million cars off the road. In addition to shifting to renewable electricity, the company has launched a pilot for green logistics which fill further reduce emissions and has set its global cooler purchases as per strong eco-standards.

AB InBev hopes that the symbol for renewable electricity, which will be affixed on each bottle of Budweiser produced globally by 2025, is adopted widely by other companies which produce products from 100% renewable electricity. Its wide adoption will provide an impetus for products produced by responsible companies, while acting as a catalyst for behavioral change among consumers.

Bibliography

https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/renewable/budweiser-beer-maker-ab-inbev-goes-green-inks-pact-for-renewable-energy/64487326

https://www.budweiserapac.com/en/new2019121901.html

https://www.budweiserapac.com/en/new2020060503.html