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Diageo
announces plans for their Kentucky
Whiskey Distillery producing Bulleit to
be one of largest carbon neutral
distilleries in North America.
Diageo has announced that its new
Kentucky whiskey distillery, which will
distil Bulleit whiskey, is expected to be
carbon neutral – one of the largest in
North America, and a first for Diageo.
Reinforcing Diageo's global commitment
to reducing its carbon emissions and
addressing climate change, the site will
be powered by 100% renewable
electricity, with a capacity to produce
up to 10 million proof gallons per year.
The new distillery, which is currently
under construction in Lebanon, Kentucky,
reflects Diageo's commitment to
achieving net-zero carbon emissions and
moves the company closer to its goal of
sourcing 100% of its electricity from
renewable sources by 2030. Employing
electrode boilers, the site will utilize
a mix of renewable electricity sources
to power a 72,000 square-foot
distillery, dry house, and warehousing
facilities. As previously announced "The
Diageo Lebanon Distillery" will have the
capability to distil a variety of
bourbon and American whiskey brands.
Bulleit will be the first and lead brand
produced at the new distillery –
supplementing existing production at The
Bulleit Distilling Co. in Shelbyville,
Kentucky. This move will further
strengthen the brand's commitment to a
more sustainable future.
"As a company we know that our long-term
sustainable growth depends on reducing
our reliance on fossil fuels that
contribute to climate change," said
Perry Jones, President, North America
Supply for Diageo. "This groundbreaking
undertaking to electrify our operations
and then power them with renewable
electricity will result in one of the
largest carbon neutral distilleries in
North America. This is a significant
step to strengthen our commitment to
minimizing our carbon emissions and will
result in an important reduction of
Diageo's environmental impact on a
global level."
"For Bulleit, our passion for
sustainability began when we built the
Bulleit Distilling Co. in Shelbyville,
where we focus on reducing carbon
emissions, water conservation and waste
management during production. Then, when
we opened our Visitor Experience there,
we chose to implement practices like
eliminating single use plastics from our
bar and sourcing locally-grown organic
cocktail garnishes from our onsite
garden," said Sophie Kelly, SVP
Whiskies, Diageo NA. "Our commitment to
the environment evolves with the Lebanon
distillery, where no fossil fuels will
be consumed for the production of
Bulleit. This allows us to really begin
to double down on our ambition to
reinvent category standards."
To achieve carbon neutrality at the
site, Diageo plans to incorporate a
variety of features that will avoid
annual carbon emissions by more than
117,000 metric tons. This is the
equivalent of taking more than 25,000
cars off the road for an entire year.
These features include:
Electrification of operations:
- Electrode boilers will enable
the avoidance of direct carbon
emissions that would normally be
generated by the use of fossil-fuel
fired boilers. Electrode boilers
also offer benefits that include
reduced noise pollution and
reduction of other air contaminants.
- All vehicles operated onsite,
including trucks and forklifts, will
be electric, and charged onsite by
renewable energy.
- 100% of the steam used onsite –
for the cooking, distillation and
drying process – will be generated
by the electrode boilers (which are
powered by the renewable
electricity)
Energy efficiency embedded into facility
design:
- Energy efficiency will be
optimized in the new electric
boilers
- Exterior lighting will be solar
powered
- All onsite interior lighting
will be light-emitting diode (LED)
- Warehouse interior lighting will
only activate during loading or
unloading activities
- Lowered roofs will minimize
heating and cooling requirements
Sourcing
renewable electricity:
- Long term contracts with the
local utility will allow for the
purchase of zero greenhouse gas
emission electricity from certified
renewable sources.
- Renewable electricity will be
supplied by Inter-County Energy and
East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC).
- Water savings design
- Site is being designed to be
industry-leading in efficiency and
minimization of water usage
Zero waste
to landfill:
- Once operational, the site is
designed to minimize use of
materials and waste through reuse
and recycling, and any residual
waste will not be sent to landfill
"I welcome Diageo's commitment to
carbon neutrality and using renewable
electric at its Bulleit distillery in
Lebanon. This is a notable example of a
historic Kentucky industry embracing a
new future," said Kentucky Governor Andy
Beshear. "To continue the commonwealth's
economic recovery, attract business
investment and create jobs for
Kentuckians across all counties, it's
important we and our economic
development partners provide a
cost-competitive energy mix. Energy
diversity is something more industries
are considering when they choose where
to locate, and offering the right mix
will help us provide a brighter future
for generations to come."
"We want to extend a warm welcome as
Diageo makes this valuable investment in
Lebanon-Marion County," said Jerry
Carter, President and CEO of
Inter-County Energy, which will provide
electric service to the Lebanon
distillery. "Inter-County Energy is
proud to work in partnership with Diageo
and East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC)
to understand the energy needs of this
facility and to develop innovative ways
to meet the sustainability goals of one
of the largest renewable energy
consumers in Kentucky."
A Commitment to Sustainability
Committed to decarbonization with
approved science-based targets, Diageo
is part of a pioneering group of
organizations that are championing a
green recovery and supporting the
Sustainable Development Goals, through
membership of the United Nations Global
Compact, We Mean Business Coalition and
other key global advocacy organizations.
Also, as mentioned above, as a signatory
to RE100, Diageo aims to source 100% of
its electricity from renewable sources
by 2030. In addition, Diageo has also
signed onto the global Race to Zero
campaign, a commitment to achieving
net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The
company recently joined over 150
multinationals to reaffirm our
commitment to Science Based Targets and
urge governments around the world to
align their COVID-19 recovery efforts
with the latest climate science.
Bulleit has a long-standing commitment
to sustainability at their current
distillery in Shelbyville, KY, which was
recently honored with the title of
'Highly Commended' for Sustainable
Distillery of the Year at Whisky
Magazine's 2020 Icons of Whisky American
Awards. The Shelbyville site includes
the first ever industrial solar array in
Shelby County, and a focus on reducing
their carbon footprint by sourcing local
ingredients from local farmers. In
addition, Bulleit implemented thoughtful
practices at the Visitor Experience,
such as a partnership with the
non-profit Oceanic Global to ensure its
tasting experience and cocktail bar
aligns with The Oceanic Standard (TOS),
a badge and certification for venues
that have adopted sustainable operating
practices and are committed to
eliminating single-use plastics.
Investing in Kentucky
Bulleit continues a strong trajectory of
growth, with the brand continuing to
gain share, and global volume up more
than six percent year over year[3].
Diageo broke ground on the $130 million
distillery in July of 2019, and the site
is expected to be fully operational in
2021. Once fully operational the
facility will employ 30 full-time team
members. Since 2014, Diageo has invested
more than $500 million in Kentucky. This
facility will supplement the company's
other Kentucky operations: Stitzel-Weller
in Louisville, and The Bulleit
Distilling Company and Visitor
Experience in Shelbyville.
been bottled non chill filtered at a strength of 46%
ABV and it will launch for sale in early
July with a RRP of £50 and will be
available from specialist online whisky
retailers such as
The Whisky Exchange,
The Whisky Shop and
Master of
Malt
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