Heineken announces 'Drop the C' programme

Heineken has announced its 'Drop the C' programme for renewable energy, aiming to grow its share of renewable thermal energy and electricity in production from the current level of 14 per cent to 70 per cent by 2030.

Heineken will not purchase unbundled certificates to meet its reduction targets, but will achieve he reduction targets with what CEO Jean-François van Boxmeer calls ‘real green energy’.

Since 2008 carbon emissions at Heineken breweries have decreased by 41 per cent and in 2017 the company has already reached its 2020 emission targets in production.

The scope of the programme includes packaging; as well as production, distribution and cooling; as this often overlooked area represents a significant portion of the carbon footprint, however the company realises that its extensive geographical footprint poses a challenge as it includes many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America where renewable energy solutions are not readily available.

Where it can the company has used renewal sources appropriate to the location, for example the brewery in Massafra, Italy is one of the largest solar breweries in the world with a capacity of 3.3 MW, and in the Netherlands the company is using wind energy combined with solar power. The company is also a user of biomass and biogasfor thermal energy, and in Vietnam rice husks from local farmers are used to heat its brewing boilers.

Heineken’s vision for renewable energy is called 'Drop the C', because taking the C out of CO2 leaves oxygen.

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