Reducing energy consumption

Pernod Ricard aims to constantly improve its energy efficiency. By 2012, the Group intends* to reduce its energy consumption by 10% for each unit produced, as compared with 2008. To reach this goal, particular effort is made in distilleries, which represent 81% of the Group’s total energy consumption in 2008-2009.

*Objective set in 2008

Emphasis placed on the Group’s energy mix

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Pernod Ricard seeks to limit the amount of energy (electricity, gas, fuel and coal) used in its activities. The Group mainly uses natural gas, which alone represents 62% of the Group’s energy consumption. This energy has been preferred to coal and fuel for distillation due to its flexibility, high energy output and lower environmental impact.
Electricity is the second-largest energy source used by Pernod Ricard, contributing up to 16% of the Group’s total energy consumption.

Improving energy performance in distilleries

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The Group continually invests in optimising energy efficiency in its distilleries. The programme includes:

• the installation of a mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) system, allowing the Irish distillery in Midleton, County Cork, to save up to 37,000 MWh per year,
• the installation of a new grain roasting system at the Walkerville distillery in Canada,
• the treatment of gases for drying co-products at the Strathclyde distillery in Scotland.

Furthermore, an energy management system was incrementally developed with the subsidiaries, and in 2008-2009, a follow-up based on detailed indicators was set up in the Group’s 10 principal distilleries. As such, it is possible to track and compare performance and identify best practices.

Stabilising and reducing energy consumption

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The total energy consumption of the Group per litre of pure distilled alcohol is stable at 7.84 kWh/l, compared to 8.87 in 2007-2008. ABSOLUT vodka, for example, has employed new production processes that are more energy-efficient.

The increased number of initiatives at the subsidiary level plays a significant part in these positive results. Production sites continue to set their own goals and implement specific initiatives. Many of them are undertaking in-depth energy diagnostics, which help make short-term gains and build improvement plans for coming years. For example, at the Allt-A-Bhainne distillery in Speyside, Scotland, management installed a heat recovery system that reduced energy consumption by 10%.

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