Over the past decade, we’ve prioritised quality and consistency in our brewing process to ensure that the beers flow correctly and deliciously. In recent years, we’ve also put sustainability front and centre, harnessing innovative technologies to maintain the high-quality standards we set for ourselves in this crucial area. One of the biggest environmental challenges we’re addressing is carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Fermentation naturally produces CO₂, and like most breweries, we’ve traditionally released that gas into the air while purchasing additional CO₂ for other parts of our production process.
Now, we’re taking steps to change that by partnering with SSV, a Leeds-based brewing equipment importer, and Hypro, an India-based company specialising in CO₂ recovery technology, to capture the CO₂ we produce and reuse it in our brewery operations. This is a significant step toward making our brewery more sustainable, and we’re pleased to be part of this shift toward greener brewing practices.
Why We’re Taking Action on CO₂
Fermentation produces CO₂ as yeast converts sugars into alcohol. Since the business started, that CO₂ has simply escaped into the atmosphere as a byproduct. Meanwhile, we’ve had to purchase more CO₂ to carbonate our beers, purge tanks, and keep oxygen out of our systems.
But here’s the issue: industrial CO₂ is typically produced through energy-intensive processes that burn natural gas to separate carbon and hydrogen atoms. This adds to the very emissions we’re trying to reduce. Additionally, CO₂ shortages have affected the brewing industry in recent years, making it more difficult to secure reliable supplies.
So, how can we minimise waste, lower CO₂ emissions to help the future of our planet, and safeguard ourselves from supply chain disruptions? By capturing and reusing the CO₂ we already bio-generate from brewing.
How the Hypro Carbon Dioxide Recovery System Works?
This project will involve us installing a CO₂ recovery system at the brewery. The process is relatively straightforward:
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Capture: The system will collect the CO₂ produced during fermentation.
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Purify: The gas is then cleaned and purified to ensure it’s food-grade quality.
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Reuse: The recovered CO₂ will be stored and reused throughout our brewing process, from carbonating beer to purging tanks.
Hypro’s system operates at moderate pressures, meaning it integrates well with our existing setup without the need for major infrastructure upgrades. It’s efficient (170kwh of electricity per tonne of CO₂ produced), effective, and reduces CO₂ losses typically seen with higher-pressure systems.
The Environmental Impact
The environmental benefits of capturing CO₂ are significant. Breweries that rely on chemically manufactured CO₂ are contributing to the demand for energy-intensive production and transportation. By capturing and reusing our CO₂, we can significantly cut down on those emissions.
Breweries that implement CO₂ recovery technology can reduce their carbon footprint by 50-60%. For a medium-sized brewery like Verdant, this can prevent the release of around 150 metric tons of CO₂ per year, the equivalent of taking dozens of cars off the road.
A Step Toward a Greener Future
Sustainability isn’t a box we tick, it’s something we’re working towards every day. We know our industry has an impact on the environment, and we’re committed to reducing that impact wherever we can. We started with solar panels on our brewery's roof back in 2019, and we are continuing on this journey.
The introduction of this CO₂ recovery system is just one new step, but it’s an important one. It’s a way for us to lower emissions, reduce waste, and future-proof our brewery against supply chain challenges.