Lightsource BP has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for 100 MW of solar energy to supply the operations of AB InBev, brewer of Budweiser beer.
The deal represents the largest unsubsidised solar energy deal in UK history and will enable AB InBev’s breweries to operate on 100 per cent renewable electricity.
The PPA will enable Lightsource to build 100 MW of unsubsidised solar power capacity in the UK. In a statement the firm said that the capacity is expected to be built and connected at the end of 2020.
AB InBev’s two main UK breweries, based in Magor, South Wales and Samlesbury, Lancashire, produce over 17 million bottles and cans of Budweiser each week. Once the solar farms are operational, all Budweiser brewed and sold in the UK will begin to feature a new symbol to encourage consumers to choose a beer brewed with 100 per cent renewable electricity.
The symbol, which has already rolled out across Budweiser in the US, is available for other businesses to use, in a move that the brewer hopes will help to shift consumer choice.
Nick Boyle, Group CEO at Lightsource BP, said: “Solar is cost-competitive, scalable, reliable and quick to deploy. Our partnership with AB InBev is further proof that solar power can now be delivered at a cost-competitive price. This deal will help transform the energy mix for one of the UK’s biggest brewers, contributing to the overall share of renewables production across the UK.
“We have reached a pivotal point in the UK energy sector where unsubsidised solar is going to truly make its mark as the cheapest form of energy generation, even compared to wind. We are proud to be at the forefront of this transition with AB InBev, demonstrating that solar makes an ideal partner for corporate power.”
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