Glenfiddich uses own whisky waste to fuel trucks

Scotch whisky maker Glenfiddich has announced that it will convert its delivery trucks to run on low-emission biogas made from waste products from its own whisky distilling process.

The company said it has installed fuelling stations at its Dufftown distillery in north-eastern Scotland which use technology developed by its parent company William Grant and Sons. It will convert its production waste and residues into an Ultra-Low Carbon Fuel (ULCF) gas that produces minimal carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions.

Glenfiddich said the transition to using fuel made from the distillery’s waste product is part of a “closed-loop” sustainability initiative. Stuart Watts, distillery director at William Grant, said traditionally Glenfiddich has sold off spent grains left over from the malting process to be used for a high-protein cattle feed.

However, through anaerobic digestion – where bacteria break down organic matter, producing biogas – the distillery can also use the liquid waste from the process to make fuel and eventually recycle all of its waste products this way.

“The thought process behind this was ‘What can we do that’s better for us all?’,” Watts said.

Earlier this year, Nova Innovation installed a series of underwater turbines off the west coast of Scotland, with its turbines generating renewable energy to power local Scotch whisky distilleries.

Last year, the Government announced a £10m fund to assist UK distilleries with transitions to low-carbon fuels, such as hydrogen and biomass.

Glenfiddich is not the only one using its waste products to fuel its vehicles. In 2012, independent whisky maker Tullibardine became the world’s first distillery to supply ingredients to make biofuel for vehicles from its waste products.

Source