German company BayWa will provide the power from its 112MW Karadoc solar farm in Mildura, Victoria, which is currently under construction by Melbourne-based Beon Energy Solutions.

 

 BayWa has already constructed a 4km grid connection for the plant.

 

CUB CEO Jan Craps hailed the deal as significant step toward its vision of securing 100% of its electricity from renewables.

 

"As one of Australia's first and leading manufacturing businesses, we have a responsibility to ensure we play our part in tackling climate change and a range of environmental challenges," Craps said. 

 

CUB is also moving toward onsite solar generation, which will see solar panels on the roofs at each of its breweries, and says it is Yatala brewery is a world leader in water efficiency.

 

Craps said the investment with BayWA also stacked up economically, with CUB now expected to pay a reduced price to power its operations.

 

"Moving to renewable energy will ensure that we have certainty of supply and pricing, something that is incredibly important for a manufacturing business like ours."

CUB sites will remain connected to the grid, allowing excess capacity to be fed back into the system.

 

BayWa board member Matthias Taft said the company was delighted to be helping the brewer achieve its renewable energy goals.

 

 "For BayWa r.e., the partnership with CUB represents another success in Australia. Since entering the market, BayWa r.e. is now active in solar and wind project development and the solar installer wholesaler market," Taft said.

 

The Mildura region is considered to have Victoria's highest solar exposure and highest average sunshine hours.

 

CUB isn't the only alcohol producer adding to the Australian energy transformation: Queensland firm Utilitas is currently developing an $18 million biorefinery converting waste from the Bundaberg Rum distillery into electricity to return to the distillery, as well as biocrude.

 

Queensland Premier Annastascia Palaszczuk said the government was supporting the project out of its $4 million Biofutures Acceleration Program due to the jobs and business opportunities it will generate and the contribution it makes towards the vision for a $1 billion sustainable, export-oriented biotechnology and bio-products sector.