JAPAN – Suntory Holdings, a Japanese drinks giant, has achieved a “world-first” milestone by utilizing hydrogen to fuel the distillation of whisky, marking a significant step in its quest to decarbonize whisky production.
The trial took place at Suntory’s Yamazaki distillery in Osaka, where the company successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using hydrogen as a fuel source in the distillation process.
In a statement, Suntory Holdings confirmed that the new make spirits distilled using hydrogen exhibited the same quality and taste as those produced using conventional natural gas.
Utilizing hydrogen in the “direct firing” of the still allowed for higher temperatures compared to indirect heating methods using steam coils.
According to Suntory Holdings, this direct-firing technique can enhance the quality and depth of character of the spirit, although transitioning from gas to hydrogen presented technical challenges in the decarbonization effort.
For safety reasons, conventional natural gas was initially used to ignite and conclude the burning process during the trial.
Despite the challenges, Suntory Holdings remains committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, targeting a 50 percent reduction at its sites by 2030 and aiming for net zero emissions across its value chain by 2040.
The trial at the Yamazaki distillery is part of Suntory’s broader initiative dubbed ‘WhiskHy’, which focuses on decarbonization technology leveraging ‘green’ hydrogen.
Alistair Longwell, head of distilling and environment at Beam Suntory (a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings), said, “We have an ambition to achieve net zero emissions across our entire value chain by 2040, and it is through unique collaborative projects such as WhiskHy that we will get there.”
Looking ahead, Suntory Holdings plans to verify the hydrogen-fueled distillation technology at a commercial scale at its Hakushu distillery in Japan.
By next year, the company aims to install a system for producing green hydrogen at the Hakushu facility, further advancing its sustainability efforts.
Last year, Bacardi ran a trial of a production run of a spirit bottle manufactured using a hydrogen-powered glass furnace.
The distiller teamed up with Hrastnik1860 – a Slovenia-based glass manufacturer – to produce 150,000 glass bottles in the 70cl format for its St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur brand.
The claim comes after Suntory Beverage partnered with Celsius Holdings in a distribution deal that will see Suntory Oceania, a subsidiary of the Japan-based drinks giant, take over the manufacturing, sales, and distribution of Celsius energy drinks in Australia and New Zealand.
Liked this article? Subscribe to Food Business Africa News, our regular email newsletters with the latest news insights from Africa and the World’s food and agro industry. HERE
