New Belgium Brewery: Using of AVEVA solutions to accomplish high sustainability goals
New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado, is a pioneer in sustainable brewing. Committed to reducing its environmental footprint, the company has adopted renewable energy sources and cutting-edge process optimization tools. Using AVEVA solutions, New Belgium ensures high-quality production while minimizing water usage, emissions, and energy consumption. This document outlines the company's goals, challenges, technologies, and sustainability achievements.
Sustainability Goals of New Belgium Brewery:
New Belgium Brewery set clear environmental targets:
- Transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy
- Divert 95% of wastewater solids by 2015 (from 73% in 2007)
- Reduce water usage per barrel of beer by 10%
- Cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25%
Sustainability is embedded in the company’s DNA, from production to policy decisions, employee ownership, and community impact.
Challenges in Balancing Quality and Conservation
AVEVA SmartOps supports to reach and keep the ambitious targets in production. Despite aggressive sustainability goals, the company could not compromise on beer quality or operational performance. Meeting regulatory requirements, maintaining product consistency, and reducing energy use—all while expanding production—presented a significant challenge.
AVEVA Solutions Implemented
To address these demands, New Belgium adopted multiple AVEVA products:
- AVEVA System Platform for integrating production systems
- AVEVA InTouch HMI for real-time visualization and control
- AVEVA Historian for long-term data logging and performance tracking
- AVEVA ActiveFactory for analysis and reporting
These solutions enable centralized control, traceability, and intelligent decision-making across all operations.
Key Achievements and Benefits
- Biogas Conversion: The brewery captures methane from wastewater and converts it into electricity, covering 15% of its energy needs.
- Solar Power: Rooftop solar panels generate up to 200 kW, with real-time monitoring of electricity generation and historical trends.
- Wind Energy: New Belgium was the first U.S. brewery to purchase 100% of its electricity from wind power.
- Wastewater Management: Specialized microorganisms treat process water, while HMI systems optimize energy recovery from biogas.
- Smart Grid Integration: With AVEVA software, New Belgium manages load shedding and communicates with local utilities, preparing for a future powered by intelligent energy networks.
AVEVA solutions track everything from raw ingredient origin to product genealogy. The system enables traceability down to each tank or bottle—within 30 minutes—ensuring compliance and transparency.
Sustainable Operations in Action
AVEVA tools allow the brewery to monitor water, steam, electricity, lighting, and equipment usage. Sensors automatically adjust lighting based on room occupancy. Engineers and accountants alike use AVEVA for data-driven decision-making, tax reporting, and performance optimization.
New Belgium also emphasizes “alternative empowerment”—making business decisions based on environmental and social responsibility. Sustainability isn’t a separate initiative; it drives operations, employee engagement, and innovation.
Integrated AVEVA solution
With the support of AVEVA West, a trusted system integrator, New Belgium continues to evolve its sustainability strategy. Smart Grid technology, integrated with AVEVA, provides two-way communication with the power grid, real-time data sharing, and energy flexibility. This intelligent infrastructure enhances efficiency and positions the company as a sustainability leader.