New £45million energy centre at Simpsons Malt in Berwick set to save 25,000 tonnes of carbon per year and boost consumers

The £45million AMP Clean Energy initiative will see an energy centre containing electric and biomass boilers built at Simpsons Malt’s Tweed Valley Maltings headquarters in Tweedmouth.

The energy generated will displace fossil fuel gas currently used in the production of malt, a key whisky ingredient.

In addition, the scheme will save 25,000 tonnes of carbon each year, while it will also reduce carbon emissions at the site by around 80 per cent.

And for the first time in the UK, a high voltage electrical boiler will be powered by wind energy that would have otherwise been switched off when there was too much wind.

AMP Clean Energy is a distributed energy company that funds and develops low carbon heat and power solutions.

Steven Rowley, operations director at Simpsons Malt, said: “We are committed to minimising the impact of our operations on the environment and operating this energy centre at our Tweed Valley Maltings site will be an important step in our objective of achieving net zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030, giving us a company-wide reduction of around 55 per cent.

“As a result, the malt that leaves our Tweed Valley Maltings – 90 per cent of which is destined for the distilling industry – will have a significantly reduced carbon footprint.”

The biomass boiler will use locally sourced, sustainable wood chip, bringing previously under-managed woodlands into commercial use.

In the current energy system, the National Grid is unable to store excess renewable energy at scale or transmit it to other locations – so there is no option but to ask wind companies to turn off their turbines on windy days.

The electric boiler will be powered by wind turbines that will stay on even if others are off due to the level of wind, meaning increased renewable electricity generation and reduced compensation payments.

Mark Tarry AMP Clean Energy CEO, said: “We are proud to be able to support Simpsons Malt Limited on its decarbonisation journey.

“This project will also save consumers money and drive forward the broader energy transition towards a net zero future, and it is AMP’s largest single investment to date.”