Lion 'flicks the switch' to electric at Speight's Brewery
New Zealand beverage company LION has ‘flicked the switch’ on a 3 MW electric boiler at Speight’s Brewery, marking the completion of a NZ$7.2 million project that is designed to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy demand flexibility and security for central Dunedin.
The project upgraded the brewery’s primary energy source for steam production from LPG to electricity and is expected to yield lifetime greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings of 18,500 tonnes (708 tonnes per year).
LION’s Chief Operating Officer and NZ Country Director, Craig Baldie, said, “We are proud to have made a significant investment in New Zealand’s oldest working brewery.”
Founded in 1876, Speight’s is LION’s second largest brewery and a much-loved tourist attraction. The electric boiler will abate around 85% of Speight’s GHG emissions (6% of LION’s emissions in New Zealand).
The project was delivered through shared investment collaboration with EECA and Aurora Energy, with future demand in mind.
Aurora Energy General Manager Customer and Commercial Services Mark Pratt said: “To support the installation of Speight’s electric boiler, Aurora Energy upgraded and installed 480 m of 11 kV cable along Rattray Street. The cable upgrade had the added benefit of improving electricity transfer capacity between Smith St and South City substations and will support future growth and electrification projects in central Dunedin.”
EECA’s Manager Regional & Sector Partnerships Paul Bull said: “This was a complex project, and it’s been terrific to see it go from idea to reality. It will provide inspiration and lessons for others considering electrification. The Speight’s electric boiler is a huge win when energy resilience is front of mind for many.”
The project was originally conceived in 2021 and took just over four years to complete. Engineering plans and works had to navigate historical central Dunedin infrastructure and the 150-year-old Speight’s Brewery architecture. Delivery involved cross-functional teams from LION as well as national and local partners.
“Reflecting the strategic importance of large-scale electrification, this important project was enabled by shared investment with EECA and Aurora Energy, partnership with Meridian Energy and delivery by key partners including Beca, Windsor Engineering and others,” Baldie said.
“As a proud B Corporation, partnership projects that deliver wider benefits like the Speight’s electric boiler, demonstrate our commitment to doing the right thing for the long term.”
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