Lesson 2 - Environmental Sustainability
In this lesson we will discuss key ways to understand and improve the sustainability of brewery operations. This will include understanding the global context for sustainability, the key environmental sustainability impacts of producing beer and opportunities for improving the sustainability of beer and brewing operations.
Water Use Improvement Projects
Reducing the total amount of water used is an important way we can reduce the impact of our operations, particularly in locations where there are limited or scarce water supplies.
As with energy reduction, to find water saving project opportunities, the following key steps can be used:
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Audit the process
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Produce findings
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Evaluate findings
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Produce an action plan and finance case
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Make modification/investment
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Re-evaluate process performance
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Assess water saving and financial implications
Alongside the other elements of the water management system, this technique can be developed into one of continuous improvement.
At the beginning of a water saving programme, it is often helpful to think about where the immediate and visible improvements will be and where little (or zero) capital will need to be spent to enable water savings. Examples of such activities include engaging brewery staff in better housekeeping and identifying (and fixing) leaks. As these easier and more achievable goals are exhausted, savings projects that need greater capital investment can be investigated and implemented.
Typical reduction areas for investigation and action on water reduction include:
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Engaging brewery water users to reduce wasted water from poor housekeeping.
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Routine inspection for leaks.
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Prevention of losses from taps or triggers by fitting flow restrictors.
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Examine cleaning in place (CIP) programmes to ensure the water is being used effectively.
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Examine operations of keg washers, bottle washers and all small pack pasteurisers to prevent unnecessary water being wasted.
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Examine utilities (cooling systems, water purification, boiler operation) to find areas of inefficient water usage.
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Identify and investigate opportunities for water reuse and water recycling.
Making the case for water savings
Water is often, but not universally, relatively cheap. Municipal water may have a cost per hL while abstractions direct from the environment may require licencing fees. This low cost can make developing financial savings for water efficiency projects difficult to make if short paybacks are required to access capital.
As water is often treated, heated, cooled, and pumped to different locations multiple times, calculating the costs of these additions can help build financial cases for water saving opportunities.