Alpheus secure five year contract extension with Glenmorangie Distillery

Leading water and wastewater asset management company, Alpheus Environmental, has secured a five-year extension to its original three-year contract with the Glenmorangie Distillery in Tain, Scotland. Alpheus has managed and maintained wastewater treatment at the Distillery since 2020.

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Alpheus was awarded the initial contract based on their experience with Anaerobic Digestion and wastewater management, which aligned with the sustainability goals of The Glenmorangie Distillery.

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Wastewater from the whisky distillation process, known as ‘pot ale’, is treated in Glenmorangie’s on-site Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant. This biological process uses microorganisms cultivated in the reactor tank to break down organic material in the waste liquid, creating biogas and helping to treat the water. The gas is cleaned and fed to the site’s steam boilers to provide a highly valuable and sustainable energy source, while the water is processed through membrane filters to remove impurities prior to it being released. Careful management of this process maximises the energy created and provides consistent clean effluent to the Dornoch Firth, beside the Glenmorangie Distillery.

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Marcus Green, UK Head of Operations at Alpheus commented:

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“We are delighted to be awarded this extension with the Glenmorangie Distillery. Over the last three years our partnership has delivered improved site safety and efficiency. The innovative approach we’ve taken has given us a defined but adaptable path to achieving our agreed sustainability goals. This includes maximising gas production and ensuring consistent quality of the water released in to the Dornoch Firth. Over the next five years we will use our expertise and relationships to seek new technologies, systems, and greener solutions to maintain the momentum we have delivered to date.”

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Discussing the contract extension, Ed Thom, Glenmorangie Distillery Manager said:

"We are committed to being carbon neutral by 2040 and to halving our CO2 emissions by 2030. Helping us achieve that ambition at Glenmorangie is anaerobic digestion. The filtration system Alpheus has developed cleans over 98% of our wastewater, and generates biogas, which now contributes 20% of the energy needed to run the Distillery.

"In tandem Glenmorangie, through the Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project (DEEP) in partnership with the Marine Conservation Society and Heriot-Watt University, is restoring native European oysters into the Dornoch Firth which has the long-term ambition to create a self-sustaining oyster reef to filter out the remaining 2% of impurities and improve marine biodiversity.

“We see Alpheus as our long-term partner to achieve this, so we welcome this extension and look forward to continuing our relationship with the team on our shared ambitions.”