UK govt to grant GBP 9m for 2nd phase Green Distilleries competition

The UK government said Saturday that it is providing close to GBP 9 million (USD 12.5m/EUR 10.5m) in grant funding to help whisky and spirit producers switch to low-carbon fuels.

This is the second phase of the Green Distilleries competition, which is allocating the GBP 10 million of research and development funding announced in the 2020 budget for decarbonisation of distilleries.

In the first phase, more than GBP 1 million supported feasibility studies, with distilleries getting up to GBP 75,000 to look into technologies including hydrogen and biofuel boilers and geothermal energy.

Twelve distilleries across Scotland and five in England can now bid for additional funding totalling nearly GBP 9 million to accelerate decarbonisation projects, the government said. Between three and five of the demonstration projects will be supported with grants of up to GBP 3 million.

"The funding announced today will support one of our most iconic industries to go further and faster in cutting their carbon emissions and build back greener -- something we can all raise a toast to," said Energy Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

The funding is part of the GBP-1-billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio.

(GBP 1 = USD 1.386/EUR 1.165)

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