Diageo shifts Leven site to climate-friendly spirit production
SCOTLAND – British multinational alcohol giant, Diageo, has transitioned its Diageo Leven site in Fife to use green energy provided by one of the largest private solar panel arrays in Scotland.
The solar farm at Diageo Leven covers an area of eight football pitches, holding 8,000 panels, generating up to 22% of the site’s annual electrical demand and up to 60% in the summer months.
The farm will produce 4.1MW of electricity and will reduce carbon emissions by approximately 830 tonnes a year.
Diageo Leven produces more than 40 million cases of premium spirits each year, including Johnnie Walker, Gordon’s, and Tanqueray.
Stuart Galbraith, Operations Director at Diageo Leven, said: “This is a very proud moment for the team at Diageo Leven who have worked to make this project a reality. Our people are passionate about protecting the environment and building a more sustainable future.”
“It is fantastic to know that as we work to make some of the world’s greatest quality products, we are doing it with renewable energy produced by the Scottish daylight.”
The project is going to live alongside a rainwater harvesting development that will deliver up to 7 million liters of water a year that will be reused on the site.
The investment in the solar panel farm is part of Diageo’s ESG action plan, Society 2030: Spirit of Progress, with a commitment to reach net zero across our direct operations by the end of the decade.
It also aims to harness 100% renewable energy everywhere the company operates and is committed to partnering with suppliers to reduce indirect carbon emissions by 50%.
Driving its sustainability efforts to agriculture, Diageo has introduced drones in a bid to foster farming efficiency and environmental benefits across its tequila farming in Mexico, following up on a successful pilot conducted in 2022.
The move has enabled Diageo to upskill its agave planters for the future of the ever-growing tequila industry and build its digital capability in flying drones, integrating more efficient farming practices and driving environmental benefits.
The drones work in partnership to collect data on agave plants to drive better farming decisions, reduce water and fertilizer use and decrease the use of vehicles to reduce carbon emissions. They can identify when the crops need support and dispense the required amount of a unique water fertilizer mix.
Working in pairs, one drone identifies the agave plants that need attention and collects data on their growth, and the other dispenses the unique liquid mix where needed at night when the stomata are open.
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