Home of John Smith’s Becomes Largest Green Brewery in the UK
In a first for larger-sized breweries in the UK, Heineken’s John Smith’s Brewery, in North Yorkshire is now being fuelled by solar energy. The installation, utilising an array over 4,000 solar panels, will generate approximately 876 megawatt hours (MWh) each year, enough to power 185 homes.
Martin Kochl, Tadcaster’s Brewery Manager, says: “When laid out side by side, the panels would cover an area equivalent to five Olympic-sized swimming pools. We are really proud that Tadcaster is now home to the biggest solar panel installation at any brewery in the UK. Sourcing the power we need to make our beers and cider from renewable energy sources like solar energy help us to reduce the environmental impact of our business and forms a key part of our sustainability programme, ‘Brewing a Better World’.”
Dany de Zeeuw, Sales Director at SolarAccess Sustainable Energy – the designer and developer behind the solar panels – says: “Tadcaster will be the sixth solar project we’ve installed on a Heineken brewery worldwide. We’re excited to bring solar energy to Tadcaster.”
Heineken is the UK’s leading cider and beer producer with iconic drinks brands such as Strongbow, Bulmers, Heineken®, Foster’s, Kronenbourg 1664 and Desperados, together with a full range of speciality brands. The company employs around 2,000 people across its eight sites in the UK. It has breweries, cider plants and offices in Edinburgh, Livingston, Tadcaster, Manchester, London, Hereford and Ledbury.
