Kingsbarns cuts carbon output with £150k investment
Wemyss Family Spirits-owned Kingsbarns Distillery in Fife, Scotland, has invested £150,000 (US$187,000) in a new heat exchange system.
The newly installed state-of-the-art technology is expected to cut the distillery’s energy bills by £20,000 (US$24,900) per year, and reduce its kerosene consumption by 14% annually, saving more than 100,000kg of carbon emissions.
The £150,000 investment in the new heat exchange system is part of Kingsbarns’ ongoing expansion, which includes a 20,000-litre washback installed in 2024.
Peter Holroyd, distillery manager of Kingsbarns, said: “We’ve carefully engineered a solution that will effectively capture and reuse heat from our distillation process, cutting our kerosene use by 160-litres per day.
“By recovering heat from our pot ale and spent lees and sending it through a heat exchanger, we’re raising wash temperatures from around 20 degrees to 70-80 degrees, significantly reducing our energy input. The beauty of this system is that in time, it will pay for itself.”
The new heat exchange system is said to recover energy from the hot liquid left in the copper stills after alcohol extraction, which is used to preheat the wash for the next distillation. This process reduces energy and shortens the time needed to reach distillation temperature.
Previously, the liquid was discarded, but now the new system redirects the hot liquid to heat the wash before distillation.
In keeping with its commitment to local partnerships, Kingsbarns worked with several Fife-based specialists, including Clyde Associated Engineers and ES Fleet Support, for the installation.
Sustainable efforts
Isabella Wemyss, director of production at Kingsbarns, commented: “Kingsbarns has always been committed to growing sustainably, and this latest investment reflects that. By reducing our carbon footprint and sourcing electricity through renewable energy partnerships, we ensure that increased production does not come at an environmental cost.
“It’s vital that we ensure that our approach to creating quality whisky is done in a sustainable and sensible way that doesn’t negatively impact the whisky or environment.”
The heat recovery system is part of a wider multi-million-pound expansion strategy, which also includes the construction of new warehouses in Glenrothes to significantly increase the company’s storage capacity for maturing whisky.
The business is committed to being green, becoming ‘one of the first whisky companies’ to signal its move to cartonless products in 2024.
Wemyss continued: “There are huge upsides to this technology: it is saving us time, cutting our carbon emissions, and saving us costs on fuel for the distillery. Combined with our use of locally sourced ingredients and waste-reduction initiatives, we are doing everything we can to ensure that our approach to whisky production is sustainable.
“For us, investing in the best technology is essential to keeping our whisky production at the highest industry standards, and our team is constantly exploring opportunities to ensure we set the standard. This year we expect to fill around 2,000 casks, which is a vital step forward in our long-term growth and in ensuring consistent maturation for future releases.”
Related news
Brother's Bond campaign champions sustainability
