Heineken Sustainability Report 2008

What we delivered

Thermal energy

The specific thermal energy consumption – the amount of heat needed to produce one hectolitre of beer, soft drinks and cider – further improved from 98 Megajoules per hectolitre (MJ/hl) in 2007 to 96 MJ/hl in 2008. This total is just above our target of 95 MJ/hl for 2008. Next year, the new acquisitions (mainly Scottish & Newcastle) will contribute positively as they had an average thermal energy consumption of 82 MJ/hl in 2008.

Electricity

Specific electricity consumption – the amount of electricity to produce one hectolitre of beer, soft drinks or cider – showed an improvement from 9.31 kWh/hl in 2007 to 9.17 kWh/hl in 2008, marginally above the target of 9.0 kWh/hl we set for 2008. Next year, the new acquisitions (mainly Scottish & Newcastle) will contribute positively as they had an average specific electricity consumption of 8.65 kWh/hl in 2008.

Our Aware of Energy programme aimed at saving 15 per cent energy per hectolitre (i.e. thermal energy and electricity) between 2002 and 2010 is well on track. With another two years left to go, we have to date achieved an energy reduction of 11 per cent.

Greenhouse gasses

Specific performance in CO₂ emissions (the amount of direct and indirect CO₂ emissions per hectolitre of beer, soft drinks and cider produced) improved from 10.50 kgCO₂/hl in 2007 to 10.35 kgCO₂/hl in 2008. Next year, the new acquisitions (mainly Scottish & Newcastle) will have a positive impact as they had lower average emissions of 9.17 kg/hl in 2008.

Overall, as a result of acquisitions and volume increases, our total absolute carbon dioxide emissions increased from 1,670 ktonnes in 2007 to 1,918 ktonnes in 2008 (including our malting plants and new acquisitions).