New Belgium Brewing today announced the completion of a large solar installation project at its Asheville, North Carolina, brewery – the latest in a long string of investments that began in 2014 when the company completed construction on the LEED Platinum Certified brewery complex. The new 446-kW solar project, installed by Renu Energy Solutions, spans the facility’s 114,000 sq.-ft roof.
The solar installation builds on other major investments at New Belgium’s Asheville brewery in the past two years – including a new canning line added in 2020, and 10 additional tanks to expand barrelage capacity installed just this spring – which have enabled the creation of 50 new jobs at New Belgium Asheville. In addition, New Belgium has donated more than $1.4 million to 200 nonprofits across North Carolina since 2005 through the company’s longstanding commitment to give away $1 per barrel of beer sold.
“The climate crisis is already harming our coworkers, our communities, and our customers here in Asheville and across the country – not to mention threatening the future of beer itself,” said said Katie Wallace, Director of Environmental and Social Impact at New Belgium Brewing. “Renewable energy is an economic driver for businesses like ours, and for residents in need of good-paying jobs and clean air and water.”
The new solar installation in Asheville more than doubles the solar power that New Belgium previously provided across both breweries, building on the company’s first rooftop solar initiative at its original Fort Collins brewery back in 2010. New Belgium embarked on its climate action journey three decades ago, as part of the company’s founding principles established in 1991. Most recently, New Belgium’s flagship Fat Tire became America’s first certified carbon neutral beer in 2020, and the company simultaneously committed to make the entire business carbon neutral by 2030. The company has published the entirety of its carbon neutral blueprint for businesses on drinksustainably.com.
In 2014, New Belgium opened the LEED-certified brewery in Asheville. Solar panels were installed atop the liquid center when the brewery was constructed, with plans to later add an additional array atop the brewhouse and production facility.
“We are honored to serve as New Belgium Brewing’s installation partner for their spectacular solar project in Asheville,” said Jay Radcliffe, CEO of Renu Energy Solutions. “With our shared commitment to the Asheville community, our partnership with New Belgium showcases building renewable energy directly within a community, placing clean energy production closest to where energy is consumed.”
News item from New Belgium
