UK: Budweiser plans UK’s first hydrogen-powered brewery in South Wales by 2024

Budweiser has announced plans for the UK's first hydrogen-powered brewery in South Wales by 2024, the Daily Mail reported on October 19.

The firm has joined forces with Protium, a UK-based green hydrogen energy services company, to install hydrogen-powered solutions at its Magor Brewery.

It claims the change will save a whopping 15,500 tonnes of carbon emissions annually from 2027.

Mauricio Coindreau, Head of Sustainability and Procurement at Budweiser Brewing Group said: 'Sustainability and the wellbeing of our planet are at the core of our business.

'Innovative energy solutions like hydrogen have huge potential as a key part of our sustainability strategy, helping us significantly reduce our UK carbon footprint.'

Budweiser has not disclosed how much the project will cost.

Hydrogen is the lightest and the most abundant element in the universe, and produces zero greenhouse gas emissions.

It can be produced through several methods, including natural gas reforming, electrolysis, or, as is the case with Budweiser, through solar-driven processes.

Chris Jackson, CEO of Protium, explained: 'Green hydrogen is a truly exciting opportunity for the global energy sector and the UK economy as a whole, with various energy leaders and environmentalists supporting its deployment, so we're delighted to be working with a brand that shares our forward-thinking vision.

'The entire Protium team is thrilled to showcase the potential of green hydrogen and the benefits it can deliver to Budweiser, the local community in Magor, and the environment.'

The project will see Budweiser use its existing wind and solar assets to manufacture green hydrogen at Protium's Hydrogen Production Facility, which is next to the brewery.

This hydrogen will then be used to fuel the brewery's production, as well as its Heavy Goods Vehicles and forklift trucks.

According to Budweiser, the change to hydrogen will save approximately 15,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually from 2027.

That's roughly the amount of produced by 3,300 cars from UK roads or 12,000 long haul flights per year, according to Budweiser.

Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd added: 'I am very pleased this project is taking place right here in Wales.

'Tackling climate change is a priority for the Welsh Government and this project at an important employer in the sector will be important to our efforts.

'It also has the potential to create new jobs and exciting opportunities in the area for years to come.'

Budweiser has not disclosed how much the project will cost.

The news comes as Boris Johnson has published the most detailed proposals yet for how the UK will achieve the ambition and contribute to the fight against climate change.

He says that switching from fossil fuels to clean energy, including wind, new nuclear and hydrogen, can ease the reliance on imports and protect families from price spikes.

In particular, Johnson says that hydrogen will be a significant part of the solution to replacing fossil fuels.

'To drive a digger or a truck or to hurl a massive passenger plane down a runway, you need what Jeremy Clarkson used to call ''grunt'' – I think there may be a technical term for it – but ''grunt'',' he said.

'Hydrogen provides that grunt, so we are making big bets on hydrogen, we are making bets on solar and hydro, and, yes – of course – on nuclear as well, for our baseload.'

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