Starting today, the Grolsch brewery will be using sustainable heating from Twence. This is a first: never before has a company been supplied with sustainable heating, in the form of hot water, directly from Twence, and used it for industrial processes, such as heating pasteurisers and rinsing machines. This move has allowed the brewer to take another big step forward in its energy transition ambition of becoming a climate-neutral brewery. The heating pipeline was ceremoniously inaugurated this afternoon in the presence of Andries Heidema, the King's Commissioner of the Province of Overijssel, and Roelof Bleker, the Mayor of Enschede, and others.
Andrei Haret, Managing Director of Royal Grolsch, said: "By using the heating pipeline, we will reduce our CO₂ emissions by 72% - or 5,500 tonnes per year – and we will be able to transition in large part from fossil fuel energy to sustainable energy. But something that makes this project even more special is its circularity: the cooled water emitted from our brewery is reused to heat homes in Enschede. Furthermore, with the arrival of the heating pipeline, we have been able to redirect our biogas elsewhere: it is being upgraded to green gas and will be supplied to 700 households in Twente via the regional gas network. So it's a real win-win!"
Marc Kapteijn, director at Twence, said: "At the present time, heating is a greater good. Therefore, it is very important that we bring about this heating transition in Twente together. This sustainable heating, generated from non-recyclable waste, is cleverly used to heat rinsing machines for beer bottles and heating buildings. And that's not all. We are going to use this heating to make industry and over 100,000 homes in the region sustainable."
Green heating link
A branch connection was made to the brewery from the existing heating pipeline between Twence to Enschede. The actual construction of these heating pipeline branches took nine months to build. A particular challenge was laying a 550-metre-long pipe from Marssteden to the Grolsch side beneath the A35. This green heating link between Grolsch and Twence, connected by two heating pipelines, approximately 1.3 km in length, provides sustainable heating and is future-proof.
Sustainable region
Roelof Bleker, Mayor of Enschede, said: "We must join forces to limit global warming. We are also fully committed to this in Enschede and Twente. We are bringing this about through smart innovations and powerful collaborations. The collaboration between Grolsch and Twence is a great example of this and will inspire other companies to make sustainable choices." Andries Heidema, King's Commissioner of the Province of Overijssel, said: "I am proud that two leading companies in the region are so committed to sustainability and are therefore taking responsibility for the well-being of future generations. We have major challenges ahead, but collaborations like these demonstrate that we are up to meeting those challenges. I call this the new neighbourliness!"
Marc Kapteijn, director at Twence, said: "At the present time, heating is a greater good. Therefore, it is very important that we bring about this heating transition in Twente together. This sustainable heating, generated from non-recyclable waste, is cleverly used to heat rinsing machines for beer bottles and heating buildings. And that's not all. We are going to use this heating to make industry and over 100,000 homes in the region sustainable."
Green heating link
A branch connection was made to the brewery from the existing heating pipeline between Twence to Enschede. The actual construction of these heating pipeline branches took nine months to build. A particular challenge was laying a 550-metre-long pipe from Marssteden to the Grolsch side beneath the A35. This green heating link between Grolsch and Twence, connected by two heating pipelines, approximately 1.3 km in length, provides sustainable heating and is future-proof.
Sustainable region
Roelof Bleker, Mayor of Enschede, said: "We must join forces to limit global warming. We are also fully committed to this in Enschede and Twente. We are bringing this about through smart innovations and powerful collaborations. The collaboration between Grolsch and Twence is a great example of this and will inspire other companies to make sustainable choices." Andries Heidema, King's Commissioner of the Province of Overijssel, said: "I am proud that two leading companies in the region are so committed to sustainability and are therefore taking responsibility for the well-being of future generations. We have major challenges ahead, but collaborations like these demonstrate that we are up to meeting those challenges. I call this the new neighbourliness!"