As industries are strengthening their environmental practices, one beer producer is implementing new technologies to reduce carbon emissions from its beer fermentation process. Eddyline Brewery NZ became the first craft brewery in New Zealand to implement Chart Industries’ Earthly Labs’ carbon capture device to meet its CO2 needs and cut emissions.
Chart Industries’ carbon capture technology is used to capture waste carbon dioxide produced during fermentation, purify it, and reuse it to carbonate the beer, purge the tanks, clean the kegs and package the beer.
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The technology called CiCi® CO2 capture technology is fit to take away CO2 waste from smaller sources like businesses, homes, and transportation. It is a small-scale technology that aims to make it affordable and achievable for all-size businesses to capture emissions. The system is the size of a refrigerator, installs in less than a week, and allows brewers to reduce CO2 purchases and costs.
According to the Eddyline announcement, New Zealand like many parts of the world, experienced extreme CO2 shortages and price volatility in the last 12 months. Some breweries experienced an increase in prices of CO2 by as much as 700%.
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Carbon capture was a desired addition to the green tech portfolio of Eddyline Brewery, however as the company reports, it quickly became essential equipment while the NZ brewery market braced for a new shortage of the key ingredient for brewing.
“Eddyline has always sought to ensure its environmental footprint is as small as possible using sustainable processes. It is wasteful to be producing CO2 that is usable yet venting it into the environment. Recapturing CO2 is a better way for the planet and creates superb beer, too… As evidence, we were honored to secure 18 medals from the judges for our beers at the 2023 New Zealand Beer Award from everything from light Pilsners and Lagers to IPAs and stout. It’s the most medals we’ve earned in a single year,” commented Eddyline co-founder, Mic Heynekamp on the company’s notable green practices across its operations.
