Budweiser Brewing Group has commissioned a new wastewater treatment and biogas recovery facility at its Samlesbury Brewery in Lancashire, delivered by industrial water treatment specialist Global Water & Energy (GWE).
The £7.8 million investment, part of a broader brewery expansion, sees organic material broken down through on-site biological treatment processes, generating biogas as a by-product that is reinjected into the brewery's energy system as renewable heat. The installation has reduced the site's gas consumption by 5-8% and cut Scope 1 CO₂ emissions accordingly.
The project was also driven by requirements from local water company United Utilities, which stipulated that wastewater must be biologically pre-treated before discharge.
The facility was officially opened by Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden MP, alongside Ribble Valley MP Maya Ellis and Deputy Mayor Councillor Caleb Tomlinson, at a Cheers To Nature event held at the site.
Uli Ombregt, CEO of GWE, said the project demonstrated how industrial water treatment could deliver both environmental and operational returns. "By turning wastewater into renewable energy, this project shows how industrial water treatment can create real environmental and operational value."
Yleni De Neve, Sustainability Director Europe at AB InBev, said water remained the brewery's most critical input. "Water is the most important ingredient in our beers, and this new wastewater treatment facility will help us further reduce our environmental impact while supporting the resilience of our operations in the North West."
Samlesbury Brewery has operated since 1972 and employs around 500 people. AB InBev invested £45 million in the site in 2021.
The £7.8 million investment, part of a broader brewery expansion, sees organic material broken down through on-site biological treatment processes, generating biogas as a by-product that is reinjected into the brewery's energy system as renewable heat. The installation has reduced the site's gas consumption by 5-8% and cut Scope 1 CO₂ emissions accordingly.
The project was also driven by requirements from local water company United Utilities, which stipulated that wastewater must be biologically pre-treated before discharge.
The facility was officially opened by Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden MP, alongside Ribble Valley MP Maya Ellis and Deputy Mayor Councillor Caleb Tomlinson, at a Cheers To Nature event held at the site.
Uli Ombregt, CEO of GWE, said the project demonstrated how industrial water treatment could deliver both environmental and operational returns. "By turning wastewater into renewable energy, this project shows how industrial water treatment can create real environmental and operational value."
Yleni De Neve, Sustainability Director Europe at AB InBev, said water remained the brewery's most critical input. "Water is the most important ingredient in our beers, and this new wastewater treatment facility will help us further reduce our environmental impact while supporting the resilience of our operations in the North West."
Samlesbury Brewery has operated since 1972 and employs around 500 people. AB InBev invested £45 million in the site in 2021.
