In the framework of its ESG strategy with the key message «Together Towards Zero and Beyond» and aiming at the zeroing of its environmental footprint, Olympic Brewery completes the infrastructure for the implementation of the pilot project for the utilization of solar energy to cover its energy needs at the Sindos plant, in collaboration with the Swedish company Absolicon.
Through the installation of a solar panel system at the company’s premises, the project harnesses solar energy, supplying thermal energy to the brewery to meet the needs of the production process. Absolicon’s solar panels are designed to «follow» the sun, harnessing solar energy for heat and steam applications in industrial processes, such as in the beer pasteurization process. The solar panel system, with a total area of 1,900 sqm, will cover 2.2% of the annual thermal energy needs of the Olympic Brewery’s production plant in Sindos, Thessaloniki, while during the sunniest summer months, this figure will rise to 5%. This initiative is an interesting and innovative practice for the brewing industry as well, aiming at the gradual phasing out of conventional fossil fuels, using more and more forms of renewable energy sources.
This programme is an important step towards achieving one of the key sustainable development targets set by Olympic Breweries and the Carlsberg Group, which is to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions in the production process by 2030. Thus, the company continues to invest in the continuous modernization of its facilities, technological equipment and processes across its operations, while adopting and expanding the use of «green» practices to optimize energy consumption and further utilize renewable energy sources, such as solar.
Dejan Beko, Managing Director of Olympic Brewery, said, "There is optimism about the potential of this technology to decarbonise our breweries, both in our country and globally. Especially in a sunny country like Greece, such practices should be explored and implemented, with the aim of making maximum use of renewable energy sources."
Katerina Tsintsifa, Integrated Supply Chain Director of Olympic Brewery, on the occasion of the launch of the programme, noted: «We are very pleased with the opportunity this new technology provides to actively support the gradual reduction of carbon emissions in the brewing industry. Our partnership with Absolicon is another step in this direction, as thermal power generation brings us closer to achieving our goal in terms of the energy footprint of our production plants in the coming years.»
Joakim Byström, CEO of Absolicon Solar Collector AB, said, "It is a fact that breweries are planning to get rid of the use of conventional fossil fuels in the production process… At the same time, several recent studies confirm that in areas with high sunshine, solar thermal collectors are the best way to produce renewable heat and steam. In collaboration with the Carlsberg Group and Olympic Brewery, we continue our joint journey towards a ZERO Carbon Footprint through the pilot project at the Olympic Brewery’s facility in Sindos, demonstrating in practice that the brewing industry can become carbon-free by using solar heat, which is a scalable, easy to integrate and safe source of energy."
