On Burns Night (January 25th) we were delighted to announce that Locogen’s client, the Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery, had won Phase 1 funding from the Green Distilleries competition run by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to investigate switching from gas oil to hydrogen for their primary process fuel.
So it’s fitting that , on World Whisky Day (15th May), we can announce that after a successful Phase 1 feasibility study, Arbikie are applying for Phase 2 funding – and a share of a £10 million funding pot – to implement zero-carbon green hydrogen as their primary process fuel.
The Green Distilleries fund aims to help distilleries cut CO2 emissions by one million tonnes, contributing to Scotland’s national target to be carbon neutral by 2045, with each distillery deploying innovative green solutions in order to achieve these ambitious goals.
Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery are determined to find a low carbon alternative to gas oil to further improve their already impressive sustainability and environmental credentials.
Renewable energy specialist Locogen and hydrogen technology expert Logan Energy are therefore partnering with Arbikie to deliver an innovative solution, using green hydrogen produced onsite using electrolysis from wind and solar generation as the zero-carbon fuel for the distillation process.
Currently, the Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery operates a sustainable, field-to-bottle model, with all ingredients grown, distilled, matured and bottled onsite. Even the mountain-filtered water used in Arbikie spirits is taken from an underground lagoon.
The project will enhance these credentials, helping to create a low-carbon distillery that has been converted from fossil fuel dependence. It is hoped that this will become a model that can be rolled out across the distillation sector and other industries.
Andy Lyle, CEO of Locogen, said: “It’s great to see one of Scotland’s most traditional industries adopting innovative new technologies to help us reach our net-zero targets. Now there’s another reason to raise a glass on World Whisky Day.
Bill Ireland, CEO of Logan Energy, said: “Scotland’s whisky sector is world-renowned, and it is fitting that we are finding innovative ways to decarbonise this industry as we continue to trailblaze hydrogen technologies with a global impact. I look forward to sampling the new generation of hydrogen-powered whisky.”
Iain Stirling, Director at Arbikie Distillery, said: “Arbikie is focused on becoming one of the world’s most sustainable distilleries, and as both farmers and distillers we are in an ideal position to grow & distil our field-to-bottle whiskies. Sustainable products are undoubtedly the future, especially in this year of the UN’s COP26 and they will be the major economic driving force in the years to come across the world. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful environment on Scotland’s east coast from which we can grow and distil the highest quality of barley and rye, and we’re proud to play a part at the vanguard of what is becoming a global sustainable spirits movement”.