Carlsberg brews up a sustainable solution

Carlsberg’s new carbonation tanks in Falkenberg, Sweden, will recycle up to 40% of CO2 from brewing, marking a significant step towards circular production in the beer industry.
Carlsberg has installed new carbonation tanks at its brewery in Falkenberg, Sweden, to allow the company to recycle up to 40% of the carbon dioxide used in its beer production process.

The new tanks, set to be fully operational by the end of this year, represent a significant stride in Carlsberg’s efforts to create a more circular and sustainable production process. This initiative is part of the company’s broader sustainability programme, ‘Together Towards ZERO and Beyond’.

Mikhail Zaripov, utilities manager at Carlsberg, Sweden, explained the thinking behind the process: “Aiming for circularity and making use of residual products is natural for us. By being able to recycle, process and purify the carbon dioxide from fermentation, we create new carbonic acid for our drinks.”

Investment in carbon dioxide recovery plants is expected to yield significant environmental benefits. Carlsberg’s brewery in Falkenberg and the water factory in Ramlösa purchase 9,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, which is transported to and from the facilities in heavy tanks via trucks. 

The new plant, with a capacity of 750 kg per hour and two 30-tonne capacity tanks, will cover up to 40% of all carbon dioxide needed in Carlsberg Sweden’s production. This circular approach is projected to reduce the number of truck transports by 120 per year, further decreasing the company’s carbon footprint. 

With approximately 3,600 tonnes of self-produced carbon dioxide per year, Carlsberg will reduce its environmental impact and create conditions for more stable production.

Jonas Kudermann, VP of integrated supply chain at Carlsberg Sweden, highlighted the strategic importance of this investment. “This investment will give us a more robust production where we minimise the risk of external influences and at the same time contribute to the company’s sustainability work.”

Kudermann noted that the multinational brewer depends on carbonation for most of its products, including beer, soft drinks, and water. “A carbon dioxide recovery facility ensures that we can continue production even in the event of power outages or carbon dioxide shortages in Sweden or Europe,” he added.

The new carbonation tanks are not Carlsberg’s first foray into sustainable brewing practices in Sweden. The company was the first brewery within the Carlsberg Group and the first large brewery in Sweden to use only renewable energy sources in its beverage production. 

Since 2017, Carlsberg Sweden has exclusively used certified green electricity and biogas (self-produced and purchased) for beverage production in Falkenberg and Ramlösa. This latest development aligns with the growing trend in the brewing industry towards more sustainable practices. 

Significant brewers, such as Heineken and AB InBev, have also been investing in technologies to reduce their carbon footprint and improve resource efficiency. Overall, implementing this carbon capture and reuse system at Carlsberg’s Falkenberg brewery is a model for how the brewing industry can adopt circular economy principles. 

By capturing and reusing CO2 that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, Carlsberg is reducing its environmental impact and potentially creating a new standard for sustainable brewing practices.