GlenAllachie to halve energy consumption at distillery
Speyside-based The GlenAllachie will reduce its energy use by more than 50% after installing ‘first-of-its-kind’ technology at the distillery.
The technology in question is a distillation system called Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR), which is supported by the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (SIETF).
The system is designed to capture and recycle waste heat from distillation during the wash process, which is then used to reheat the stills, which make up 60% of The GlenAllachie’s energy use.
Once in place, the distillery expects to reduce its annual carbon emissions by an amount equivalent to the energy consumption of around 825 homes.
The technology is being developed in partnership with engineering company Briggs of Burton, which is part of a broader mission to decarbonise the Scotch whisky sector using new technology.
Billy Walker, owner and master distiller of The GlenAllachie, expanded on the decision: “Our pot stills lie at the heart of what we do and account for around 60% of our total energy consumption. That’s why finding a more sustainable way to power them has been such a priority.
“Support from the SIETF has made it possible for us to take on a project of this scale and this new technology, combined with our investment in on-site solar panels, has enabled us to shrink our carbon footprint even further.
“Reaching this milestone brings us ever closer to realising our vision for The GlenAllachie’s future. This is not about increasing capacity, it’s about building the next chapter of The GlenAllachie’s legacy, rooted in quality, tradition and innovation.”
The energy-saving distillation technology is the latest step in The GlenAllachie’s aim of meeting Scotch Whisky Association (SWA)’s 2040 net-zero target.
Since Walker completed the deal to buy the distillery back in October 2017, the single malt producer has also installed 144 solar panels at its home and reduced its production capacity from four million to one million litres of alcohol per year.
Other eco-friendly measures it has implemented include installing an energy-efficient burner, a heat-recovery system, bio-gas processing, and electric forklifts in the warehouses.
Furthermore, it’s upped maintenance of its beehives across the estate and introduced FSC-approved labels and recyclable glass bottles to its packaging.
Earlier this month, The GlenAllachie released an exclusive single cask collection for Meikle Tòir, its peated spirit.
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