According to Kenyan Wallstreet, East African Breweries Limited (EABL), has made it known that it will invest 22 billion Kenyan Shillings on biomass power, solar energy and water recovery.
The project will also include an upfront investment of 6.5 billion Kenyan Shillings in solar, water treatment, and biomass equipment followed by an additional 15 billion Kenyan Shillings in long term capital investments for the ongoing maintenance and operations.
The Diageo subsidiary, will switch to renewable energy i.e biomass boilers which will be heated by woodchip, bamboo, and rice husks to eliminate the heavy fuel oil in its production process.
The use of biomass will reduce East African Breweries Limited (EABL)’s carbon emissions by 95 percent which will amount to to 42000 tonnes a year.
In addition, the new water recovery and purification facilities will cut the amount of water the brewer uses in operations by 40 percent, to about 1.2 billion cubic litres annually.
Solar energy will provide a 10th of the power needs of East African Breweries Limited (EABL) with its planned installation in six breweries across three countries. The Kisumu production plant however, already has solar power and water treatment facilities installed.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of East African Breweries Limited (EABL) Andrew Cowan, made it known that the move to more sustainable energy sources will help create jobs.
The Executive added, “The new investment will additionally deliver thousands of new green jobs across the supply chain, particularly in the supply of bio fuels in Kenya and Uganda.”
The fuel supply for six new biomass boilers is rumored to have the potential of creating at least 900 jobs in the supply chain for local farmers who will be providing the biomass fuel.
