YLEM Energy helps Brown-Forman halve energy consumption

Brown-Forman has secured a new agreement with independent power specialist YLEM Energy to install a new industry-leading energy management system at its Newbridge bottling plant and logistics hub near Edinburgh.

The partnership is set to help the bottling plant nearly halve its energy consumption. Beyond a dramatic reduction in power use, the installation will enable Brown-Forman to gain greater control of its operating costs, increase efficiencies, and support its wider sustainability and energy security goals.

The move also underscores the spirits company’s ongoing efforts to support the Scotch Whisky Association’s ‘Race to Zero’ initiative — an industry-wide pledge aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.

Upgrading the Newbridge facility

The agreement follows a comprehensive technical assessment of the Newbridge bottling plant conducted by YLEM. With the assessment complete, YLEM will now begin implementing targeted refurbishment work to install a fully modernised energy control solution, which includes their optimise management platform.

This project builds upon a successful three-year relationship between the two companies. In April 2023, YLEM built a 630 kilowatt (kW) solar panel installation at the same Newbridge site, providing 516,000 kilowatt peak (kWp) of clean, renewable energy each year and allowing Brown-Forman to export excess electricity back to the National Grid.

Andy Battjes, director of global environmental, health, safety and sustainability at Brown-Forman, highlighted the strategic importance of the new installation:

“Our new agreement with YLEM demonstrates the company’s long-term strategic commitment to renewable energy and harnessing the latest control technology to drive forward efficiencies and achieve our ambitious sustainability goals.

“We’ve seen first-hand the positive impact YLEM’s solar energy installation has had on our Newbridge bottling plant over the last three years, in terms of the consistent volumes of solar power we’re able to produce annually and the reduction in both business operating costs and carbon emissions. This new installation will build on that success and put us a step closer to achieving our global aim of sourcing 100% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030.”

Ian Gadsby, managing director of YLEM Energy, emphasised how the technology addresses broader challenges faced by Scottish businesses: “Working with Brown-Forman showcases our ability to deliver a range of on-site renewable energy generation solutions that can help companies in Scotland overcome legacy power supply challenges and become more sustainable.

“Installing our Optimise management platform also gives Brown-Forman much greater control over its energy usage at a time when firms across all sectors are coming under increasing pressure to reduce operating costs and emissions. The technology now available can be a game-changer for many Scottish businesses as we look to help accelerate the transition to a cleaner, low-carbon economy.”