Wednesday 9 November 2022

Absolut Vodka gets into the green spirit with hydrogen investment

Absolut Vodka is to become the first global spirits brand to use hydrogen energy to power a glass furnace for large-scale production.

It has partnered with Ardagh Glass Packaging in Limmared, a subsidiary of Ardagh Group, to use the partly hydrogen-fired furnace – with 20% green gas – starting in the second half of 2023.

Ardagh will launch a pilot in its Limmared plant in 2023, replacing 20% of its natural gas with green hydrogen to manufacture all of Absolut's bottles across its portfolio.

The hydrogen will be produced onsite by using renewably-sourced electricity and is expected to reduce Absolut Vodka's carbon footprint from glass by 20%.

The initiative supports the Swedish spirits company's ambition to become carbon-neutral by 2030.

Stéphanie Durroux, Chief Executive Officer of The Absolut Company said: “The glass manufacturing industry is on a transformative journey and the world can’t wait for the perfect solution. A bold and innovative approach is needed to accelerate radical change that will help solve the significant sustainability challenges that all glassmakers and buyers of glass face.”

The announcement follows a partnership with Glass Futures after the successful production of Pernod Ricard's – which bought Absolut in 2018 – Jameson bottles using biofuels.

More than three million glass bottles were produced for Jameson Irish Whiskey from 100% recycled glass, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint of up to 90%.