March 22-28 is the 36th “China Water Week”, and March 22 is the 31st “World Water Day”. According to news from Carlsberg China, after 7 years of continuous promotion, Carlsberg China’s water consumption per unit product (water consumption per hectoliter of beer brewing) has dropped by more than 42%, saving more than 2.07 million tons. Based on China’s per capita daily domestic water consumption of 185 liters in 2021, the saved water can be used by 1 million residents for 11 days. If placed in an international standard swimming pool (about 2.1 million liters), it can fill nearly 1,000 swimming pools.
Achieving water saving goals ahead of schedule
It is understood that the Carlsberg Group has always attached great importance to the rational use of water resources, giving priority to water conservation. In Carlsberg’s 2017 sustainable development plan “towards zero goals”, “zero water waste” is one of the four goals: water consumption per unit of product will be reduced by 25% by 2022 and by 50% by 2030.
In China, Carlsberg continues to promote investment in water-saving equipment, optimize and transform technologies, and increase publicity efforts, and has successfully completed the 2022 water-saving goal.
In 2022, Carlsberg released an upgraded version of the ESG plan of “towards and beyond the goal of zero”, and even raised the goal to reduce the average water consumption of the winery to below 2.0HL/HL by 2030. At present, four wineries in Carlsberg China have achieved this goal ahead of schedule.
In 2022, in the Carlsberg Group’s water consumption ranking, 13 of the top 20 most water-efficient wineries are from China, and the top three wineries are all Chinese wineries.
Achievements in water saving are affirmed
Carlsberg China’s water-saving measures and achievements have been highly recognized by the competent authorities, and many wineries have won national, provincial and municipal honors.
Carlsberg Industry and Trade is the first enterprise in Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province to be awarded the title of National Water Efficiency Leader. The winery took the lead in using the measure of quantitative spray washing of wine bottles, which can accurately control the amount of water used to wash each wine bottle, and can save 30 ml of water for each wine bottle cleaned. In 2021, the winery will use 400 million wine bottles, and bottle washing will save up to 120,000 tons of water, which is equivalent to 60 standard swimming pools.
Carlsberg Heavy Beer Liangping Branch is Carlsberg’s first winery in the world with a pure glass bottle production line with water consumption lower than 2.0HL/HL. In 2022, the winery launched a special water-saving campaign, starting from various links such as beer brewing and packaging, and found 93 water-saving potential points, and achieved the goal of water-saving with almost no increase in investment. In 2022, Carlsberg Heavy Beer Liangping Branch won the title of Chongqing Municipal Water Efficiency Leader.
Explore new ways to use water resources
In addition, Carlsberg China has also increased investment to improve the reuse of water resources. At present, Urumqi Winery, Wusu Winery, Yinchuan Winery, and Dazhulin Winery in Xinjiang have all implemented reclaimed water reuse projects. Reclaimed water is used for greening in factory areas, flushing toilets, and cooling water for equipment, producing better water quality. Water saving effect. It is expected that many wineries will be completed and put into use this year.
Carlsberg’s new winery under construction in Foshan adopts the design concept of a sponge city, and builds a 3,000 cubic meter rainwater collection and treatment system underground in the factory to make rainwater recyclable. It is reported that the project will announce an additional investment of 462 million yuan in fixed assets at the end of 2022, and further strengthen investment in civil engineering, building sustainability and automated production technology and equipment, aiming to build a green, safe, advanced and efficient new modern hotel. factory.
At the same time, Carlsberg is also constantly exploring the resource utilization of beer wastewater, communicating with local environmental protection departments in a timely manner, and cooperating with downstream sewage plants to achieve “turning waste into treasure”. On March 14th, with the support of the local environmental protection and water conservancy departments, Carlsberg Tianmu Lake Brewery (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. and China Construction Ecological Environment Liyang China Construction Water Co., Ltd. held the “Carlsberg Tianmu Lake Beer Wastewater Connection to Daitou Domestic Sewage Plant” signing ceremony. Through cooperation, the amount of purchased carbon sources required by Daitou domestic sewage plant has been significantly reduced, saving sewage treatment costs. Carlsberg Tianmuhu Beer optimized the wastewater pretreatment process, reduced consumption and energy consumption for equipment operation, and reduced carbon emissions.