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Eight US distillers awarded energy certification
Jack Daniel’s and Heaven Hill were among those recognised by the EPA for their energy efficiency.
The United States Energy Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its first batch of Energy Star certifications for American distilleries, awarding eight for superior energy efficiency and performance.
The inaugural recipients include Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee; Heaven Hill’s Bernheim Facility and Rabbit Hole Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky; Lux Row Distillers and Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, Kentucky; Heaven’s Door Distillery in Pleasureville, Kentucky; Westland Whiskey Distillery in Seattle, Washington; and Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery – which is also a Heaven Hill brand – in Buda, Texas.
According to the EPA, these distilleries use significantly less energy and contribute fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Each earned a score of 75 or higher on Energy Star’s Energy Performance Indicator.
Heaven Hill points to a collection of recent projects including improving boiler efficiency, replacing light fixtures, planting trees and adding insulation as part of the company’s larger environmental and sustainability efforts.
“Cultivating sustainable and thriving communities is important for our employees, our partners, and our neighbours,” Rachel Nally, Heaven Hill’s director of environment and sustainability, said. “Heaven Hill’s energy efficiency programmes improve community resilience by reducing emissions and lessening the load on the area’s energy infrastructure. We are honoured to receive this certification from the EPA.”
Heaven Hill first put a sustainability plan in place in 2021, aiming to reach the following milestones by 2030: reduce carbon emissions from operations by 30%, improve water efficiency by 15%, reduce 10% of water waste and 50% of virgin plastic in bottles and plant 5,000 trees in local communities.
Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman aims to make packaging for its global travel retail brands fully recyclable or reusable by 2030.
Sustainability efforts from spirits brands have rightfully gained momentum – but how can consumers tell the good from the greenwashed, especially in the era of opaque offsetting?
This story has been updated to correct the total number of distillers awarded certification as eight, not six as previously stated.