A $400,000 grant accelerates Rocky Ridge's net-zero emissions goal
Australian independent brewer Rocky Ridge receives $400,000 from the Coles Nurture Fund to move towards net zero emissions.
“There is a lot that’s gone into it, don’t get me wrong, but it would provide us a platform to demonstrate to the rest of the industry that you can make changes that will reduce your impact in a meaningful way,”
Rocky Ridge Brewing Co is one of nine small businesses receiving financial support from the Coles Nurture Fund in its twelfth round of grants. The brewery, based in Busselton, in southwest Western Australia, is the first Australian brewery to achieve sustainability certification and 100% carbon neutrality, and now aims to reach net-zero emissions status.
Co-founder Hamish Coates, a fifth-generation farmer near Margaret River, has witnessed increasingly dry weather over the past 15 years. “We’re seeing the repercussions of this across the board, and I believe it’s our responsibility, and the responsibility of every business and individual, to take whatever steps we can to make a difference.”
For Coates, sustainability is much more than reducing CO2 emissions: “For us, sustainability is a holistic vision of doing the right thing from an environmental, social, and corporate responsibility perspective.” It’s about “how we impact our entire supply chain to ensure we reduce emissions at every step, reduce plastic waste at every step, ensure the shortest possible distance food travels, and work with farmers to guarantee we receive the highest quality produce grown in the best possible way.”
The $400,000 will go toward two goals. The first is to improve battery energy storage. The brewery currently operates with a solar and battery system capable of powering 120 homes, and doubling its battery capacity will make it completely self-sufficient in terms of its electricity consumption. “What we’re currently offsetting is our backup generator, so the additional battery capacity and inverter we’ve installed will eliminate the need for that generator. Up until now, we’ve eliminated the vast majority of our backup generators, and this grant will help us overcome that tipping point,” Coates said.
The second use is investing in wastewater recycling, with a reuse system that will reduce water consumption by 28 percent. “Currently, we generate between three and 3.5 liters of wastewater per liter of beer produced, which represents approximately one-third of the industry average. However, with this waste recycling, we will be able to reduce that figure to the lowest possible level,” Coates added.
For Coates, reaching net-zero emissions would be a significant achievement and would demonstrate that many small changes can reduce emissions. For the past seven years, the brewery has strived to minimize them. Coates also sees the project as an opportunity to change the negative connotations of beer production associated with waste, and thanks Coles for the platform it provides to raise awareness within his industry and a wider audience.