The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is helping New Zealand breweries reduce their energy-related emissions through a newly launched Brewing Decarbonisation Pathway.

The five-step pathway, endorsed by the Brewer’s Guild of New Zealand, supports breweries through knowledge sharing and encourages collective action to reduce the industry’s contribution to climate change.

While the end goal is to move away from fossil fuels, the pathway focuses on achievable steps to improve existing processes, equipment and operations that will make the transition simpler and more cost-effective.

“Businesses across New Zealand contribute around 40% of our energy-related emissions, and it is not only our biggest businesses who can be looking at their role in this,” says Nicki Sutherland, EECA Group Manager, Investment and Engagement. “Many small to medium-sized businesses currently rely on fossil fuels like gas and coal so we are working with specific sectors like brewing to help them tackle the problem.”

Breweries are one of the first sectors to be supported through EECA’s Sector Decarbonisation Programme. 

“What’s great for brewing is that there is a high proportion of addressable energy-related carbon emissions,” said Sutherland. “There are breweries in New Zealand that have made fantastic progress with emissions reduction, but it is by taking a sector-wide approach and being open to sharing industry knowledge and expertise with their peers, that brewing really is paving the way.”

By signing up, breweries gain free access to bespoke tools, resources, and best-practice advice, developed with support from industry experts, which can help reduce operational costs and energy-related emissions.

Among the resources on offer is a bespoke ‘Energy Benchmarking Tool’, specifically for New Zealand breweries, that help to measure energy use and energy intensity and compare these to an industry benchmark.

W: Find out more through the Brewers Guild or via eeca.govt.nz