Lion Nathan is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through efficient consumption of raw materials and energy resources.
Processes such as brewing, packaging, refrigeration and supply of services consume the majority of our energy and electricity requirements with most of the energy needed coming from non-renewable natural resources such as natural gas and coal. While global energy demand continues to rise very quickly, we have managed to buck this trend by using resources such as electricity and gas more efficiently.
In FY08, the results of our initiatives have reduced our total energy usage per litre of beer packed by a further 1.2%. Usage rates per litre of beer packed are now 25% less than they were in 1995 and continue to trend downwards.
In early 2008, we replaced the coal boilers at Castlemaine Perkins with natural gas high efficiency steam boilers that consume less energy and water and generate up to 10,000 tonnes less carbon dioxide emissions.
Tooheys is well down the track to determining the feasibility of installing a natural gas-fired cogeneration project to generate electricity. The project will generate thermal heat for use in the beer-making process, and will reduce peak electricity demand on the site by over 2 megawatts, saving approximately 15,000 megawatts per hour of grid electricity and 10,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year.
This year our largest brewery, Tooheys, completed its second year of an energy savings action plan under the NSW Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability (DEUS) programme.
Our Australian breweries, wineries and Inner Circle Rum Distillery once again participated in the Government’s National Pollutant Inventory Programme, which involves reporting emissions from fuel combustion and other operational activities. Lion Nathan has also signed up to the Australian National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) scheme.
We will continue our involvement in energy efficiency improvement programmes as part of our ongoing commitment to reduce electricity and fuel energy usage.