Capital Equipment News February 2020

ELECTRIC TRUCKS

SAB-AB InBev Africa’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint has been demonstrated by taking delivery of the first electric truck in South Africa.

Brewing sustainability

As part of its commitment to a ‘green’ future, SAB-AB InBev Africa has taken delivery of the first fully electric truck to arrive on South African shores. Supplied by FUSO, part of the Daimler Group, the 7,5 t eCanter offers zero emissions and is said to be the first truck of its kind to be commercially available globally, writes Munesu Shoko.

T he arrival of the FUSO eCanter marks a major step in SAB-AB InBev Africa’s push towards a ‘green’ future. The arrival of the truck coin- cides with the company’s renewable energy drive, which saw its breweries across South Africa being installed with onsite solar facilities by the end of January this year. This kicks off a multi-billion rand investment with the goal to procure 100% of the business’s electricity needs at manufacturing sites across Africa by 2025. This is part of AB InBev’s global renewable commitment, which seeks to procure 50% of the company’s purchased electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020, and 100% by 2025. Taryn Rosekilly, VP Sustainability at SAB-AB InBev Africa, says AB InBev has already achieved its 50% target in key markets across the globe ahead of schedule and is well on track to achieve the 100% ambition, with good progress being made in Africa.

To give an idea, the onsite solar power project at seven of the company’s South African breweries will partially power each facility and represents 7% of the business’s electricity requirements. This is equivalent to taking about 2 000 vehicles off the country’s roads. The solar project will allow for all electricity consumed for the production of its global brand, Budweiser, at its Rosslyn Brewery, north of Pretoria, to be sourced from renewable energy. “Globally, Budweiser is ramping up towards this ambition of being 100% renewably brewed by 2025 and is currently ahead of schedule. Budweiser wants to use this scale and the power of our brand to encourage consumers to choose renewable, which is why it is committed to a 100% zero emission future. We envisage a 100% renewably brewed Budweiser to come off our Rossyln production line by March this year,” says Rosekilly. For the company to reach its 100% goal by 2025 in

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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS FEBRUARY 2020