Diageo through its subsidiary, East African Breweries Limited (EABL), says it will invest KSh22 billion on solar energy, biomass power, and water recovery. The project includes an upfront investment of Ksh6.5 billion in a solar, water treatment, and biomass equipment followed by additional sh15 billion in long-term capital investments for the ongoing maintenance and operations.
Diageo’s East African unit will switch to renewable energy – biomass boilers (heated by woodchip, bamboo, and rice husks) to eliminate the heavy fuel oil in its production process. The use of biomass will reduce EABL’s carbon emissions by 95 percent amounting to 42000 tonnes a year.
Moreover, a new water recovery and purification facilities will cut the amount of water the brewer uses in operations by 40 percent about 1.2 billion cubic litres annually.
Solar will deliver a tenth of the firm’s power needs with planned installation in six breweries across three countries. The Kisumu production plant already has solar power and water treatment facilities installed.
EABL’s group CEO Andrew Cowan said that the move to more sustainable energy sources will help create jobs.
“The new investment will additionally deliver thousands of new green jobs across the supply chain, particularly in the supply of bio fuels in Kenya and Uganda,” said the executive.
For instance, the fuel supply for six new biomass boilers has the potential of creating 900 jobs in the supply chain for local farmers providing the biomass fuel.
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