Ahascragh Distillery wins top honour at SEAI Energy Awards
Ahascragh Distillery achieves zero energy emissions by avoiding the use of fossil fuels or gas in the production process
Ahascragh Distillery has won the Innovative Deployment of Renewable Energy award at the 2023 Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland Awards. This accolade recognises the founders dedication and ingenuity in leading the way to decarbonising the energy source for the distilling industry.
The renovated mill which houses Ahascragh Distillery produces zero energy emissions as fossil fuels or gas are not used to drive the production process, which is a first for the industry.
The distillery was granted €500,000 capital support to complete construction of their eco-distillery and visitor experience in the West of Ireland. The funding was awarded to the company through SEAI’s EXEED programme. The EXEED process allows significant energy users to go beyond design norms and ensure that energy efficiency and renewable opportunities are maximised. FDT Consulting Engineers, Project Managers Ltd and decarbonisation specialists Astatine developed and installed the technology that has allowed the Ahascragh team to deliver reductions in the utility demands of the distillery.
This has enabled the distillery to recycle energy that would normally be rejected, making the process more efficient than a conventional design, allowing the distillery to achieve a saving of 706 tonnes of CO2 per year with a 40% reduction in cost over an expected lifetime of 20 years.
Gareth & Michelle McAllister, founders, Ahascragh Distillery, said: “Winning this award is a testament to the passion and commitment of our team at Ahascragh Distillery. We are deeply honoured to receive this recognition, and it motivates us to continue on our mission to decarbonise Irish whiskey and gin production.”
