Budweiser collective aims to offer renewable and cheaper energy for smaller suppliers

After smashing one of its own net zero targets, beer brand Budweiser has launched a renewable energy collective to help power bars, music venues and stadiums around the world.

The new scheme – called The Energy Collective – sees Budweiser join forces with local energy suppliers and leverage its scale to provide affordable renewable electricity to local bars and venues.

Since late 2020 the ubiquitous beer brand has already converted more than 2,000 local pubs in Brazil and Ireland to renewable electricity.

In Brazil, renewable electricity is supplied by local startup Lemon Energia, a São Paulo based company that connects producers of renewable energy with small and medium-sized businesses.

The collective claims that it has already reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 291 tonnes annually in the territory and hopes to convert 250,000 locations to renewable electricity in the country by 2025.

This move alone, it estimates, will save 36,375 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per year – the equivalent to removing 7,991 cars from the road.

Energy bills are often one of the highest costs for bars and the collective, in partnership with a local energy provider, claims that it is also able to use its size to secure affordable rates for local venue owners.

One participant in the collective, the owner of a bar in Limerick, Ireland, has claimed in the brand’s press statement, to have reduced his businesses’ monthly electricity rates by 10%.

The move to support its suppliers in switching to renewable forms of electricity follows Budweiser’s own successful 2015 pledge to brew every beer with 100% renewable electricity by 2025 – a target which it has already achieved.

“Launching The Energy Collective allows us to help businesses around the world, leveraging our scale to enable our customers to obtain more sustainable power at more affordable rates,” said Ezgi Barcenas, chief sustainability officer at Budweiser’s parent company, AB InBev.

The Energy Collective is now facilitating connection to renewable electricity in select countries including Ireland and Brazil and will be piloting a program in Colombia later this year.  Budweiser is also exploring opportunities in additional countries including the UK, Chile and Uruguay.

The Energy Collective also supports AB InBev’s ambition to achieve net zero across its value chain by 2040, and, according to Bud’s marketing VP Todd Allen, boosts the beer’s image as a modern sustainable brand.

“Consumers crave a better world where the things they love are sustainable. The Energy Collective is helping facilitate the powering of things people love with renewable electricity, while helping close the gap between what consumers want and what companies can do,” said Allen.

“Our bold dream is that every bar, venue and stadium in the world that serves Budweiser would be powered by renewable electricity,” he added.