The Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, has commissioned a Shs37 billion biomass plant at Uganda Breweries Limited in Luzira.
The unveiling of the plant marks a significant milestone in the organisation’s commitment to sustainability while demonstrating dedication to reducing its carbon footprint.
The facility represents a substantial investment by UBL and excellent progress in their decarbonising journey as envisaged in their Society 2030: Spirit of Progress sustainability action plan. Powered by locally sourced biomass materials, the plant also exemplifies UBL’s dedication to harnessing sustainable manufacturing while offering livelihood opportunities to local communities.
Nankabirwa said that by investing in biomass plants, UBL is not only reducing its carbon footprint but also contributing to the country’s energy security and economic growth.
She said the biomass project aligns with Uganda’s National Development Plan and Vision 2040, which prioritise sustainable development and environmental conservation.
“This project will not only create jobs and stimulate economic activity but also promote the use of clean energy, which is essential for mitigating the impacts of climate change. Uganda has increased its ambition to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 22% to 24.7% in the new climate change plan that presents the country’s intention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, deal with the effects of climate change, and fulfil the aspirations of the Paris Agreement,” said Nankabirwa.
Speaking during the biomass commissioning, UBL Managing Director Andrew Kilonzo said, “Today, with the launch of this biomass plant, we have come closer to realising this goal, with the plant reducing our carbon emissions by 92%—8,000 metric tonnes of CO2 per year.”
He said that, as a responsible corporate citizen, UBL remains steadfast in pursuing sustainable practices and initiatives that benefit society and the environment.
Diageo Africa’s President Dayalan Nayager said the biomass plant is within the organisation’s promise to accelerate to a low-carbon world, in which it is committed to only using renewable energy by 2030 through becoming net zero carbon in its operations.
He said the organisation is also committed to reducing its value chain carbon emissions by 50% and using renewable energy across all our direct operations.
“The biomass plant, we are happy to report, has already reduced our carbon emissions by nearly 92%. We have not only done this in Uganda but have collectively invested over Shs180 million into green energy and water recovery solutions across Africa,” said Nayager.
The UBL Board Chairman, Jimmy Mugerwa, said, “Uganda Breweries Limited is the one of the few companies in Uganda that has an investment of such a scale designed to significantly reduce carbon emissions in the production processes. We urge all organisations across Uganda to emulate what Uganda Breweries is doing here today in their various operations and call upon the government to continue supporting these sustainability initiatives.”
“As a brewery, we already work closely with different ministries like the Ministry of Water and Environment, Finance Ministry, Trade, and Agriculture Ministries, and these collaborations have fostered the work that we do not only in replenishing the environment.”
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