Grolsch and Twence are now able to officially start laying the underground pipeline that will enable Twence to supply sustainable heat to Grolsch in 2022. The permits required for this pipeline and for the modifications that need to be made at Grolsch have been issued. This sustainable form of heat supply will lower Grolsch's CO2 emissions by 72% (5,500 tonnes) per year. This is approximately equivalent to the emissions of about 1,800 households per year.
A green cooperation
The future heat supply fits in perfectly with Grolsch's aspiration to be completely CO2-neutral by 2025. Koert van 't Hof, Corporate Affairs Director Grolsch: "Obtaining the permits is a huge step in the right direction. At the beginning of 2020, we had already switched to 100% green electricity, which reduced our CO2
emissions by 6,700 tonnes. Thanks to our intensive and close cooperation with Twence - supported by the municipality of Enschede and the province of Overijssel - we are now taking the next step in making our brewery more sustainable.
100% sustainable
Twence is also extremely pleased with the progress of the cooperation. Marc Kapteijn, Director of Twence: "Sustainable energy is the energy of the future. Twence is investing heavily in the supply of sustainable energy. One of these investments is the construction of heat pipelines to companies that have a high demand for heating or cooling. The heat that we supply is generated from non-reusable waste wood (biomass) and is therefore entirely green. Both Twence and Grolsch are driven to contribute to the regional energy transition, and that makes this a tremendously strong partnership."
Sustainable heat in 2022
The heat generated by Twence will be delivered to Grolsch via an underground pipeline. At Grolsch, this heat will be used to heat the buildings and the pasteurisers as well as the rinsing machines. The technical design and the study into the most optimal pipeline route for this heat supply were already worked out in 2020. The first section of the pipeline, from Twence to the Cogeneration Power Plant run by Ennatuurlijk in Enschede, is already in place. Following the granting of the permit, a start can be made on the construction of a 1.3-kilometre-long underground pipeline from the Cogeneration Power Plant to Grolsch. The heat is expected to be delivered to the brewery in late 2022.