https://www.laestrella.com.pa/economia/220526/panama-cuenta-primera-cerveceria-region-operacion-energia-100-renovable

Cervecería Nacional, a subsidiary of AB InBev, signed this Wednesday an agreement with Avolta Energy and Banistmo for the installation of 33,809 solar panels, becoming the first brewery with operation and production of its 100% renewable portfolio in Central America and the Caribbean.

The investment for the energy transformation of the company amounts to $11.7 million and in a first stage, it includes the installation of the panels in five of its ten distribution centers in the country, among them: Las Sabanas, La Chorrera, San Cristóbal, Chitré and Santiago; reducing around 12,045 tons of CO² from its operation per year.

“We are the only company in the brewing industry in Central America and the Caribbean to produce our product portfolio and to power its distribution centers with solar energy. We want to work until we reach 100% of our entire operation and thus make our business sustainable not only for our own sustainability, but also to guarantee that future generations continue to have more moments to toast” , Danilo Pires told La Estrella de Panamá . , president of Cervecería Nacional.

The action does not represent an increase in the price of the product. Pires explained that the installation of these panels is added to those previously installed in the solar farm of the distribution center in the province of Colón and the Pasadena production plant in Panama City, they represent the reduction equivalent to the capture of 72,676 mature trees. Thus covering 90% of the company’s energy requirement with renewable energy, it is expected to produce 26,234,765kWh per year in solar energy, specifically.

For his part, Luis Álvarez, Director of Corporate Affairs of Ab Inbev for Central America and the Caribbean, said in the framework of the signing that from 2021, the company had announced its operation would be 100% renewable and now they are covering the logistics part with distribution centers. “In the end, all of the company’s distribution centers will also operate on sustainable energy,” he said.

Ávarez announced that the next steps will be clean mobility, all with future generations in mind. First it was the production plant, now we are with the distribution centers and our transportation system is coming between the plant and distribution, and to think that it will also be able to cover strategic partners such as Banistmo and Avolta Energy and beyond the supply chain for a more sustainable Panama”, added the executive.

Meanwhile, Seth Kleinman, CEO of Avolta Energy, congratulated and thanked Cervecería Nacional for its bold leadership in this area and changing the way of doing sustainable business. “At Avolta Energy we are excited to work with them and with AB-InBev, in Panama and in the region, we are the right strategic allies to jointly achieve the objectives set,” said Kleinman.

During the event, Aimeé Sentmat de Grimaldo, president of Banistmo, said “we are proud to finance projects that, without a doubt, mark a milestone in our country, above all, because at Banistmo we have proposed to make a different kind of banking, having as our goal a purpose that motivates us to work for sustainable economic development for the well-being of all and we know that we are in the right direction, when we see important projects like this materialized”.