HYDROGEN STUDY GIVEN BOOST AT BRUICHLADDICH DISTILLERY AMIDST PLAN TO DECARBONISE BY 2025
Bruichladdich Distillery have today announced they will receive support from the Small Business Research Initiative Green Distilleries Competition in their search for alternative fuels. More than £70,000 has been awarded to the island-based distiller’s project partner, Protium Green Solutions, in order to complete a feasibility study on incorporating innovative hydrogen combustion technology into Bruichladdich.
The makers of Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore single malts have ambitious plans to decarbonise their production process by 2025. Investigations into the feasibility of several renewable energy sources have been underway for some time. Each viable option, including wind, solar, electrification, biomass and fuel switching (HVO), will continue to be explored alongside this new testing, as the opportunity to be industry-leaders in hydrogen is readily embraced.
The feasibility project, named HyLaddie, will explore the deployment of an on‐site Deuterium Dynamic Combustion Chamber (DCC™) as a viable mechanism to meet heating requirements. Together with ITPEnergised and Deuterium, Protium will investigate optimal system design and how the DCC™ can be integrated. As with any project undertaken at Bruichladdich, the feasibility study must consider the preservation of centuries old equipment, the safeguarding of spirit quality and the impact on the local community.
Intended for completion in the spring of 2021, the study is included in Phase One of the Green Distilleries Competition. Positive results would see the teams target Phase Two funding in order to install the DCC™ and assess its industrial application. This proof of concept could be the vote of confidence required for similar‐sized distilleries to elect for hydrogen alternatives.
This project marks the inaugural deployment of DCC™ in the UK. The revolutionary technology generates high temperature steam, using only oxygen and hydrogen that is combusted in a vacuum. The process creates water, which can be recycled and crucially, eliminates any emission of CO2, NOx and SOx.
Allan Logan, Production Director of Bruichladdich, comments “At Bruichladdich Distillery, we understand that there is real potential for a hydrogen‐based solution to decarbonise our industry. We are thrilled to have the support of Protium, Deuterium and ITPEnergised to help us assess the feasibility of employing a green hydrogen fuel switching solution for our distillery – a move we hope benefits the broader industry.
In recent years, Bruichladdich has undertaken feasibility studies of 13 potential energy solutions. The search for alternative fuels is being investigated alongside several other areas in Bruichladdich’s sustainability strategy, which include commitments to agriculture and biodiversity, Islay and the wider community and reducing packaging and waste.
The progress they have made thus far was last year accredited by the B Lab, when the distillery became one of the only distilleries in the world to be B Corp certified. Future ambitions will see the installation of on-site maltings, agricultural R&D activity on the distillery’s own 30 acre Shore House Croft and the continuation of their investment in people program for the distillery’s 105 staff members.
Notes:
Bruichladdich Distillery is situated on the southwestern tip of the Hebridean island of Islay and is home to unique spirits:
– Bruichladdich, unpeated Islay single malt
– Port Charlotte, heavily peated Islay single malt
– Octomore, the world’s most heavily peated single malt series
In 2020, Bruichladdich became one of the only distilleries in the world to be B Corp certified. They are the first gin and whisky distillery in Europe, and one of two globally, to be recognised for balancing profit and purpose.
The distillery was first established in 1881 by the Harvey brothers. It survived through periods of closure including world wars and economic uncertainly, only to be closed for 7 years in 1994. The closure left all but two redundant.
The distillery was reopened by Mark Reynier, Simon Coughlin and Jim McEwan in 2001. The team have breathed new life into the community by keeping as much of their operations on Islay as possible. They installed a bottling hall in 2003, first grew Islay barley in 2004 (now 52% of production) and have since added additional warehousing to ensure all single malts are conceived, distilled, matured and bottled on the island. They are one of only two distilleries on the island (9 total) to make those claims.
The independently owned Bruichladdich was purchased by luxury spirits company Remy Cointreau in 2012. They continue to invest in the values of the business, in being Islay-based, and in the local community.
The Botanist Islay Dry Gin is distilled and hand-crafted at Bruichladdich Distillery by Head Distiller Adam Hannett. Nine classic gin botanicals are augmented by 22 local herbs and flowers, foraged responsibly and by hand from the hills, shores and bogs of Islay by professional forager James Donaldson.
On Bruichladdich’s Project Partners:
About Protium
Protium is a UK‐based green hydrogen energy services company (HESCO). Founded in 2019, the company supports the transition to net zero by working alongside clients in manufacturing and transport infrastructure to deploy green hydrogen and renewable energy infrastructure assets.
https://protium.co.uk/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/protium‐green‐solutions/?viewAsMember=true
About Deuterium
Deuterium Heating Ltd. is a UK based company established in 2020, to develop and commercialise new hydrogen technologies in the UK. It is currently focused on identifying and securing the first commercial pilot site for a pioneering technology called a DCC™ system, which it has licensed from leading US innovator – Hydrogen Technologies Inc, whose technology has been listed by the Solar Impulse Foundation as one of the “1000 solutions to change the world”. Over time Deuterium will support the commercialisation of other hydrogen technologies as needed to support the development activities of Protium.
About ITPEnergised
At ITPEnergised (ITPE) we are passionate about the transition to net zero. We are a trusted advisor providing client‐focused, commercially minded, energy and environmental consulting services to clients in onshore & offshore energy, oil & gas, transport & infrastructure, property and corporate sectors. http://www.itpenergised.com/
