Sort by
Sort by

100% renewable - six ways Nestlé is generating its own green energy

Climate change is the single greatest environmental challenge of our generation, and we believe that businesses can and must be part of the solution to climate change.

To help mitigate the causes of climate change, we are continuing to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and use renewable energy.

All of our grid-supplied electricity in the UK and Ireland already comes from renewable sources and we are really proud to be investing in renewable technologies to generate our own green energy in the UK and Ireland.

1. Solar energy

Solar energy is the most common form of renewable energy in the world. Solar panels capture the energy from the sun in order to make electricity, even on a cloudy day. Perfect for even our often overcast climate!

There are more than 4,000 solar panels at our factories in Fawdon and Tutbury. These generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 254 average UK households for about a year.

Learn about solar energy:

  
2. Hydropower

Hydropower is one of the oldest renewable energies generating electricity by harnessing the energy released from falling water.

Our factory in Buxton, which is one of Europe's most innovative and efficient factories, gets 30% of its electricity from hydropower.

Learn how Buxton Water is powered by water:


3. Anaerobic digester

Our factory in Fawdon sends its liquid and solid waste from the production of ROWNTREE'S Fruit Pastilles and Gums, ROLO, MUNCHIES and TOFFEE CRISP to the on-site anaeobic digester plant, where naturally occurring bacteria digest the waste, creating biogas.

The biogas fuels a combined heat and power engine that can power up to 6% of the factory's energy needs - all from some waste Fruit Pastilles or TOFFEE CRISP!

Learn how we generate energy from sweet waste:

               
4. Biomass

Biomass, generating energy by burning organic matter, is one of the most abundant sources of renewable energy in the world.

Our Nescafé factory in Tutbury uses waste coffee grounds, leftover from the coffee making process, and burns them in a controlled environment to produce power for the factory.

By turning what would otherwise be a waste product into a source of renewable energy we are not only reducing transportation and the carbon emissions associated with it but also minimising waste.

Learn how we generate energy from waste coffee:

                         
5. Green transport

The average commuter driving to work in the UK produces 1.4 tonnes of CO2 each year. Through our Green Transport Plan, we are trying to reduce our impact on the environment by encouraging our employees in the UK to consider one of four alternatives: cycling, walking, public transport or using an electric car to get to work.


Learn about our Green Transport Plan:

 

6. Wind power

In 2016, in partnership with Community Wind Power we started building a brand new nine turbine wind farm in Dumfries and Galloway.

The wind farm will generate new power to cover half of our electricity needs and will produce approximately 125GWh of power per annum, enough to supply the annual demands of 30,000 homes.