The world-famous The Macallan Estate has teamed up with EDF Renewables for a solar project that will help the manufacturer further reduce its carbon footprint.
Partners at the distillers have signed off on the upcoming 4MW project which will reduce emissions created at The Macallan’s home in Craigellachie.
The project will involve installing a number of solar panels and a battery unit to power the distillery’s operations. The ground-mounted panels will be able to power half of the distillery’s daytime electricity needs. This will amount to a 30 percent reduction on their annual consumption.
Rachel Walters, Operations Director at The Macallan commented: “The Macallan Estate has been our home for nearly 200 years, and we have always had an inherent respect for the natural world that surrounds us.
“The introduction of solar panels at The Macallan Estate is the latest initiative designed to help us build a more sustainable future, complementing the distillery’s current biomass set-up and will work in tandem with other projects to accelerate our net zero targets.”
EDF Renewables
EDF Renewables is the renewable energy arm of the French electric utility giant. This subsidiary specialises in the global development, construction and operation of renewable energy projects, standing at the forefront of the transition to sustainable energy.
EDF Renewables focuses on diverse sources such as wind, solar, hydroelectric and energy storage, playing a pivotal role in advancing clean energy solutions worldwide. Moreover, the project has shown a commitment to reducing climate change by contributing to the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure, which is precisely what they’re achieving with this partnership with The Macallan Estate.
Commenting on the partnership, Deanna Greenhalgh, Director of Development within EDF Renewables UK’s commercial and industrial solar business, SAS Energy, said: “We are delighted to be working with The Macallan Estate to deliver this renewables project.
“The project will help decarbonise the distillery’s operations, reduce energy costs in an ever more uncertain energy environment and lead the way in showing how the whisky industry can strive towards achieving net zero targets.
“It is an exciting project for EDF Renewables as one of our first commercial and industrial solar projects in Scotland.”
It’s encouraging to see the iconic distillers striving to protect the planet and reduce their impact on the environment.
The news comes on the back of recent news on the whisky industry being used to create renewable fuel. So for those invested in the whisky industry who want to see their assets being used to further green climate initiatives, these are certainly exciting times.