Well on the way to becoming the most sustainable drinks packager in the UK
SEB Brewing & Packaging
Well on the way to becoming the most sustainable drinks packager in the UK
Following successful feasibility trials at GADDS ’ Ramsgate Brewery , SEB Brewing & Packaging is pushing ahead with the installation of a full CO2 recovery system . The technology is designed to capture the CO2 generated by the brewery fermentations , clean , compress and liquify it , rendering it fit for use in carbonating beers and running the filling machines . The results from the feasibility study show the process to be robust , producing liquid CO2 of unparalleled purity , with measured oxygen content of below 15 parts per billion ( our wholesale supplied CO2 is around 30 ppb ).
The project fits into a wider initiative to hit net zero on site by 2030 and is expected to make double digit reductions in emissions , giving SEB a kick start in their journey . The company ’ s scope 1 emissions are primarily natural gas ( used in the brewery ), and CO2 evolved from fermentation , the latter making up around a third of the total . SEB ’ s target is to recover 75 % of this evolved CO2 by the end of the year .
Stage 3 of the project is the installation of CO2 recovery systems in founder breweries , utilising existing transport routes to supply SEB with as much gas as it needs to become fully self-sufficient . In doing so , 65 tonnes a year of direct CO2 emissions will be captured and reused , and 90 tonnes will be removed from the wholesale market .
CO2 capture technology has been used in the brewing industry for over 40 years at breweries producing over 150,000 HL a year . It ’ s only in the past year that this technology has been scaled down to be fit for use by craft brewers , and SEB ( with GADDS ’) is the first company in the UK to take the plunge .
80 FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk
Enzymes have the potential to be used multiple times over , at ambient temperatures , and represent no risk to personnel , product , or the environment .
Alongside CO2 capture , SEB is looking at other ways to reduce their environmental impact including a reduction in chemical usage .
Brewery and packaging cleaning cycles traditionally employ caustic based chemicals diluted in very hot water . With enough heat , and enough chemical action , soil ( mainly proteins and starches ) is loosened and then removed from surfaces , leaving them ready for sanitation . The heat and the chemical use is an expensive drain on resources , and the processes must be carried out with great care to avoid personal injury . The used fluid must then be neutralised prior to discharge .
However , recent innovations in enzyme technology is on the verge of revolutionising cleaning
in the brewing industry , and SEB is positioning itself in the vanguard , helping suppliers trial new products . Enzymes have the potential to be used multiple times over , at ambient temperatures , and represent no risk to personnel , product , or the environment . Trials so far have shown the technology to be very promising and the aim is to replace all caustic on site with enzymes during Q2 .
Significant challenges are likely along SEB ’ s journeys towards net zero , but the company is making early ( and serious ) headway , building problem solving skills and momentum by backing technological solutions only newly available to the industry . The direction of travel is set for all of us , and SEB is happy to take the lead .
www . sebpackaging . co . uk