AB InBev Signs Deal for 130 MW of Solar Power in Europe

AB InBev signed a 10-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Munich-based global renewable energy developer BayWa for more than 130 megawatts from two solar farms. The renewable energy will go toward powering AB InBev’s European brewing operations.

BayWa says that it is funding and developing the two new solar facilities in Spain, which should have a combined power output of almost 200 MW once they’re completed. One will be called the Budweiser Solar Farm, according to the developer.

The VPPA announced this week is the largest Pan-European corporate solar power deal in history, BayWa said. It covers AB InBev’s 14 breweries in Western Europe and more than 50 brands that are brewed and sold across 12 countries, according to the two companies.

Currently AB InBev says its European brewing operations produce more than 55 million kegs of beer annually and around five million bottles of Budweiser weekly. AB InBev and BayWa expect the new solar capacity to be added and connected by March 1, 2022. In the meantime, BayWa says it will provide the beer company with 75 gigawatt-hours of guarantees of origin from its La Muela wind farm in Spain.

“Once all Budweiser in Western Europe is brewed renewably, the brand will feature a new symbol on pack to encourage consumers to choose a beer brewed with 100% renewable electricity,” the companies said. “The symbol, which is rolling out across Budweiser in the UK and the US following solar and wind power deals in those markets, is available for other businesses to use, in a move that the brewer hopes will help to shift consumer choice.”

Jason Warner, zone president for Europe at AB InBev, said that his company is excited about adding new European solar capacity. “As we welcome the new European Green Deal, we now ask our consumers, customers, colleagues, business partners, and fellow companies to join us in shifting towards renewable power,” he said.