Carlsberg Group receives Lighthouse Award for world’s most water-efficient brewery

Carlsberg Group has been named as the recipient of the 2021 Lighthouse Awards for a revolutionary water recycling plant inaugurated in 2021, which will make the Fredericia brewery in Denmark the most water-efficient brewery in the world.

The winning Lighthouse organizations, named so because they are shining a light for others to follow, have developed new ways of using technology, finance or partnerships, including circularity in their practice, to reduce their impact in water-stressed regions or build resilience in their local water systems.

The revolutionary technology at Fredericia Brewery recycles 90% of the process water. It will halve water use from 2.9hl per hl of beer to just 1.4 hl/hl, saving around 500 million liters a year. By processing the water to generate biogas and recirculating hot water, the plant is expected to cut brewery energy consumption by around 10%. The learnings will support Carlsberg to reach its target to eliminate water waste globally by 2030 virtually.

Paul O’Callaghan, founder of Brave Blue World Foundation, commented, “The Lighthouse Awards honor the pioneers who are embracing water innovation to make tangible changes within their organization or community. It is also an opportunity to raise greater awareness of the remarkable work happening in the global water community. The achievements of our 2021 recipients show us what is possible when bold ambitions are supported and enabled. We are proud to celebrate the stories of these visionaries who are showing us the way to a sustainable water future.”

Victor Shevtsov, executive vice president - Integrated Supply Chain, Carlsberg Group, added, “This award is great recognition for the work of our colleagues, developing a public-private partnership to implement world-first technology at our Fredericia brewery. The learnings we take from this will be key to meeting our target to eliminate water waste everywhere we brew, and I look forward to sharing more on the way towards zero.”

The Lighthouse Awards were launched by the Brave Blue World Foundation in December 2020, following the release of its documentary Brave Blue World, which highlights the urgency of the global water crisis and the pioneers who are building sustainable solutions.