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YLEM Energy partners with Brown-Forman on 620kW solar project

  • Client

    Brown Forman

  • Industry

    Food and Drink

  • Service

    Solar PV

Background

YLEM Energy has partnered with Brown-Forman, the producer of brands such as Jack Daniel’s and Benriach, to develop a 620kW solar array that will enable them to deliver 502,117 kWp of clean, renewable energy each year at Benriach Bond, Newbridge, Edinburgh.

Challenge

The partnership will support Brown-Forman in its objective of sourcing 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

The distillery is committed to the Scotch Whisky Association’s Race to Zero pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. The partnership with YLEM Energy is expected to offset 120 tonnes of CO2 each year.

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Solution

YLEM Energy installed a 620kW solar array.

YLEM Energy was appointed to install a rooftop solar PV system using 1,127 DMEGC solar panels mounted using K2 trapezoidal mounting kit and 10 Solis inverters. (9x 50kW and 1 x 40kW)

The 620kWp solar system will be part of YLEM Energy’s Xchange product. Launched in April 2023, Xchange will allow Brown-Forman to export excess renewable energy generated at its Benriach Bond to the National Grid and reduce its onsite energy costs.

The 620kWp solar system will be part of YLEM Energy’s Xchange product

Xchange will allow Brown-Forman to export excess renewable energy generated at its Benriach Bond to the National Grid and reduce its onsite energy costs.

Brown-Forman is the producer of brands such as Jack Daniel’s.
YLEM Energy Optimise has also been installed at the Benriach Bond which will further reduce the CO2 emitted.

The partnership with YLEM Energy will offset 120 tonnes of CO2 each year.

  • This exciting solar project at our Newbridge Bottling Plant really underpins our overall Brown-Forman sustainability targets and those of the Scotch Whisky Association. This project will provide enough on-site renewable energy to account for approximately half of the facility’s electricity used in bottling and packaging our iconic brands, from our single malts – GlenDronach, Benriach, and Glenglassaugh – to Fords Gin and the world renowned Jack Daniel’s. By partnering with YLEM Energy on this project, we have been able to draw on their wealth of expertise in this field and I look forward to their delivery of this project in the near future.
    Kieran McGuire — Brown-Forman, European Environment Health and Safety Manager

Result

The partnership will support Brown-Forman in its objective of sourcing 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The distillery is committed to the Scotch Whisky Association’s Race to Zero pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. The partnership with YLEM Energy is expected to offset 120 tonnes of CO2 each year.

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  • Global Recognition

    Andy Battjes, Director, Global Environmental Sustainability at Brown-Forman stated: “As a member of RE100, Brown-Forman is committed to supporting the development of new sources of renewable electricity in order to reach our goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2030. Our partnership with YLEM to install a new rooftop solar system at our Newbridge bottling facility is the latest example of turning our commitment into action.”

  • Further Partnerships

    The solar array at Benriach Bond at Newbridge, Edinburgh is the first project between YLEM Energy and Brown-Forman, with the potential to expand to additional solar projects at other distilleries owned by Brown-Forman across Scotland.

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