PepsiCo has announced that its beverage plant in Álava, in Spain's Basque Country, will be its first on a global basis to reach net-zero emissions, by 2025.
The facility, which produces brands such as Pepsi, KAS and Bitter KAS, will achieve net zero through the electrification of its operations, PepsiCo said, which will result in the elimination of some 1,849 tonnes of CO2 per year.
The facility has been sourcing electricity from renewable sources since 2015, and following a decarbonisation project, natural gas used in the facility will be replaced by electricity, enabling it to fulfil its decarbonisation goals.
As well as the €5 million investment in its most recent electrification project, some €27 million has been invested in the facility in the past five years, in packaging equipment, warehouse consolidation, and the integration of more efficient processes.
Net-Zero Emissions
“I am tremendously proud that our beverage plant in Álava aims to become the first in our company worldwide to have net-zero emissions next year," commented Pol Codina, general manager of PepsiCo in Southwestern Europe.
"This brilliant news coincides with a very special date for us, our 50th anniversary. We are aware that we still have a long way to go to decarbonise our entire value chain and, to do so, we hope to be able to count on the maximum collaboration of all our partners.”
PepsiCo is aiming to reduce emissions on a global basis by 75% in its direct operations, and by 40% in its indirect operations by the end of the decade, ahead of achieving net zero emissions by 2040.
Środa Śląska Plant
The Álava announcement follows on from PepsiCo unveiling what it described as its 'most sustainable factory in Europe' in Poland last year. The Środa Śląska plant generates its own energy via solar panels and collects rainwater for re-use, and is set to be climate neutral by 2035, the company said.
“As one of the largest food and drink companies in the world, we know we have a critical role to play in addressing climate change," added Archana Jagannathan, chief sustainability officer, PepsiCo Europe.
