Distilled Spirits Council Partners with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to Launch ENERGY STAR® Guide for Distilleries
Guide Highlights Nearly 180 Energy Saving Opportunities for Distilleries
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with the Distilled Spirits Council, today released a guide with nearly 180 energy savings and efficiency opportunities designed specifically for distilleries.
The ENERGY STAR Guide for Energy Efficiency and Cost Saving Opportunities for Distilleries was developed based on experiences from distilleries and the wider industry.
“One of the biggest opportunities for distilleries is waste heat recovery. Distilling involves heating and cooling the ingredients multiple times. Recycling waste heat or cooling can go a long way to improve the environmental footprint of a distillery,” notes Ernst Worrell, an author of the guide and Professor of Energy Resources & Technology Change at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.
Added Danny Macri, ENERGY STAR distilling sector manager at the U.S. EPA, “Savings are possible without the expenditure of a lot of capital. Much comes down to how energy and sustainability is managed. The guide includes practices that distillery managers can implement right away.”
In 2018, distilleries spent nearly $60 million on energy. Reducing energy use achieves the dual goals of lowering operating costs, while at the same time lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Each of the guide’s chapters covers energy use in a different area of a distillery, from the boiler and chiller to the mash tuns and dry house. The guide includes case studies from over a dozen companies showing how different measures have been implemented by distilleries and discusses the benefits of a variety of technologies and practices including:
- Heat exchangers and vapor recompression
- Variable frequency drives
- Improved controls
- Strategic energy management practices
- LED lighting
Managers can use the guide to train both sustainability and operations staff and identify operational and capital improvement projects. Checklists in each chapter may be incorporated into existing best management practices or continuous improvement protocols.
“As our industry continues to grow, it becomes even more critical for companies to consider how they can increase the energy efficiency of their operations and do their part to improve their environmental footprint,” said DISCUS President & CEO Chris Swonger. “The energy guide will be an important resource in helping our members reduce environmental impacts as well as save money on operating costs.”
Distilleries, energy service providers and others interested in the guide can download it at: http://www.energystar.gov/distilleries.
ENERGY STAR Guides have become a fundamental resource for many energy teams across multiple industries. To learn more about the ENERGY STAR program, view www.energystar.gov/industry or contact [email protected].
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