EABL invests Sh5b in biomass plant

CS, Ministry of Industrialisation Betty Maina, Jane Karuku Group Managing Directo EABL, Ivan Menezes Global CEO Diageo, Tourism CS Najib Balala and Energy CS Monica Juma during celebrations to mark 100yrs at the Nairobi National Park. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

East African Breweries Ltd (EABL) has invested more than Sh5 billion in a biomass plant as part of its transition to renewable energy.

EABL Managing Director Jane Karuku (second left) said the biomass plant would help the brewer achieve a net-zero status and reduce its carbon emissions by 48,000 tonnes annually.

A net-zero status is a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.

“Among other sustainability efforts, we have recently invested in a new Sh5 billion biomass plant, one of the biggest in the region and its completion soon will help us achieve net-zero status reducing our carbon emissions by 48,000 tonnes annually,” she said.

Ms Karuku added that EABL has facilitated more than 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the last two years in its switch to low carbon operations. Diageo, EABL’s parent company, had announced in 2019 an investment of Sh22 billion in renewable energy across EABL’s brewing sites to deliver new solar energy, biomass power and water recovery processes.

“In addition, water stewardship is a long-standing strategic priority and our goal in Kenya is to replenish 1.6 million cubic metres by 2026 across all our three sites in Kenya,” added Ms Karuku.

She was speaking on Wednesday during part of EABL and Tusker’s 100-year celebrations.

EABL has also committed Sh100 million in partnership with the State to save elephants in Kenya. “Conservation is deeply stitched in EABL’s history … elephants are also core to Tusker, our iconic beer brand. We believe this is one of the biggest single investments in addressing conservation efforts and will go a long way in saving these animals currently facing the biggest threat, due to poaching,” said Ms Karuku.

As part of its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) agenda, the firm also aims to plant over two million trees by 2030.