MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday 25 July 2023
As other businesses feel the pressure of skyrocketing energy costs, Melbourne's oldest independent brewer, 3 Ravens, is bucking the trend and setting the standard for efficient, electrified processes. An award-winning energy upgrade to its Thornbury brewing facility should enable 3 Ravens to ramp up its production by up to four times current levels without increasing its energy consumption.
In addition to upgrading the building fabric and installing 74 kW of solar panels and a 'cool roof', the brewery has installed a highly efficient CO2 chiller heat pump which can capture and use waste heat and cooling from the brewing process to supply other heating and cooling needs in the brewing process and wider facility. The new system is also driven and managed by Fermecraft Industry 4.0 technology which automates processes to maximise energy efficiency.
The planning to expand production utilising best practice technologies and a holistic integration of processes was aided by pre-feasibility and feasibility studies managed by the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) and funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) through its Advancing Renewables Program.
"Brewing beer is extremely energy intensive, using a lot of energy for cooling and heating processes. Previously at 3 Ravens (and at most other breweries) this heating and cooling was done by separate machines with unused heating and cooling from the processes being wasted - or lowering the comfort in the brewing space," said Jon Fettes, Director at Regenerate Engineering, the energy consultancy engaged by 3 Ravens.
"The fantastic thing about this type of chiller heat pump used in this project is that they can simultaneously create heating and cooling at useful temperatures for various parts of the brewing process from a single refrigerant cycle. In this instance, it is also delivering a further waste heat stream to other rooms to help manage internal temperatures and comfort,” said Mr Fettes.
“This project is really exciting because it demonstrates the impact heat pump technologies can have right here, right now on emissions and energy costs in manufacturing, particularly in the food and beverage sector,” said Jarrod Leak, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity.
“We need to accelerate the transition to heat pump technologies across the economy. As this project shows, not only will it help Australia meet its emission reduction targets, it will also support the viability and growth of local businesses that employ so many Australians,” said Mr Leak.
"Sustainability has always been high on our business agenda and we’re thrilled to finally see our beer powered brewery come to life,” said Nathan Liascos, General Manager of 3 Ravens.
“These energy focused upgrades have enabled us to ramp up production, control our costs and significantly reduce the emissions associated with each beer we brew. Something that’s really important to both us and our customers, said Mr Liascos.
“It feels really good to be doing our bit to help fight the climate crisis and to be leading the way in renewable energy innovation in our industry.”
With more than 600 independent brewers in Australia, there is great potential for replication of this project to deliver emission and energy cost savings for small businesses across the country.
ENDS.
Read the full 3 Ravens energy case study for more technical detail on this project on A2EP’s website dedicated to decarbonising industrial heat, FutureHeat :
Learn more about how commercial, industrial and residential heat pumps can make a big contribution to the achievement of Australia's emission reduction targets in the recent report from A2EP and the Energy Efficiency Council: Harnessing heat pumps for net zero - the role of heat pumps in saving energy and cutting emissions
To learn more about heat pump technologies visit:
A2EP's heat pumps website page
FutureHeat - A2EP's dedicated website about heat pump and thermal battery technologies
About the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity
The Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) is an independent, not-for-profit coalition of research, business and government leaders helping Australian businesses pursue a cleaner and more successful future by producing more with less energy.
We explore the world’s best practice for policy and technologies, connect our stakeholders and members via case studies, webinars and events and advocate for programs and policies to help end users to achieve energy productivity growth, business success, jobs growth, circular economy solutions and an orderly transition to a zero-emissions future. www.a2ep.org.au
About 3 Ravens
Established in 2003, 3 Ravens is an Australian pioneer of craft beer and Melbourne’s oldest independent brewery. Its focus is on championing local ingredients and developing a range of unique and exciting styles that reflect Australian culture. 3 Ravens see sustainability as critical for the future of the brewing industry. Its aim is to create a most energy efficient facility with respect to process quality and efficiency, whilst minimising harm and maximising community benefit through its operations.
About Regenerate Engineering
Regenerate Engineering is a Melbourne-based energy consultancy established by Jon Fettes, a consulting engineer who has worked in energy projects for more than 10 years. Regenerate Engineering has worked with a range residential, commercial, government, not-for-profit and industrial clients. In May 2023 Regenerate Engineering won a National Energy Efficiency Award for the best SME Energy Management for the 3 Ravens project.