UK | Britvic, a leading soft drinks business, has invested more than a million pounds in its Rugby factory to reduce carbon emissions and conserve energy.
The major environmental upgrade will upgrade the factory’s centralised chilling system to use more efficient cooling towers. A grant of GBP 305,000 from the Government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund will support this GBP 1,150,000 investment.
The cooling towers will offer increased efficiency over the current heat rejection set-up, allowing for a reduction in electricity consumption on the chiller units. This will provide cost savings in the medium term and cover the cost of the investment within four years.
Reducing the site’s electricity consumption will also cut carbon emissions, saving up to 650 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent yearly emissions.
The upgrade will enhance the chilling system's reliability and efficiency, especially during the peak summer months. This will allow the production of much-loved brands, including Robinsons, Tango, and Pepsi MAX, to continue smoothly during warmer weather.
Heat has been removed from products such as Pepsi MAX before carbonisation to avoid foaming and waste, and it has also been removed from pasteurised drinks.
“Britvic is proud to be at the forefront of our industry regarding sustainable manufacturing practices. This project is an important step forward in our carbon reduction efforts and improving our operations' efficiency,” said Paul Graham, Britvic’s Managing Director in Great Britain.
“Supported by the Government's Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, this initiative not only signifies our dedication to environmental stewardship but also showcases Britvic’s commitment to our Healthier People, Healthier Planet sustainability goals.”
The project began in November and will be completed by February 2025. It followed a GBP 8 million investment to increase efficiency at Britvic’s London factory, announced in 2023. The Industrial Energy Transformation Fund also supported this, and work commenced on the project last year.
Both projects were part of Britvic’s long-term strategy to reduce its carbon emissions. In February, Britvic announced that 75 percent of its National Grid electricity needed in Great Britain came from a 160-acre solar farm in Northamptonshire.
This initiative could cut 642 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the drink manufacturer’s supply chain each year, thanks to a ten-year power purchase agreement with solar energy provider Atrato Onsite Energy, supported by Squeaky Energy. These projects have been central to the company’s commitment to reducing environmental impact as part of its Healthier People, Healthier Planet sustainability strategy.
In 2023, Britvic announced a similar agreement in Ireland, meaning that 75 percent of Britvic Ireland’s total electricity requirements were now provided by wind power.
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