Energy Month: Wins at Deep Eddy & Black Velvet
We are excited to spotlight the energy achievements at our Deep Eddy Vodka and Black Velvet Canadian Whiskey sites. Located in Buda, Texas, and Lethbridge, Alberta, respectively, these facilities play a crucial role in advancing our sustainability strategy beyond Kentucky. Notably, Deep Eddy joined the ranks with Bernheim Distillery as one of the first-ever EPA Energy Star certified distilleries in the United States in 2024! Below, we highlight some of the significant energy efficiency projects these two teams have successfully implemented over the past few years.
Deep Eddy Vodka
Still Improvements
The team at Deep Eddy worked on a project to optimize steam temperature and flow rate from the boiler to the distillation column and added glycol to the chilled water loop for more efficient condensation of vapors. This project educed natural gas by a whopping 50% per proof gallon distilled and reduced their CO2 emissions by 130 tons per year.
LED Re-Lamping Project
The team worked to swap the old metal halide light fixtures with new energy-efficient LED fixtures. This project reduced the CO2 emissions at the site as well as electricity usage, saving both energy and money!
Black Velvet
Boiler & Powerhouse Project
When it came time to replace an old boiler, the Black Velvet team opted for one with the ability to burn fusel oil, a byproduct of the process. Burning fusel oil helped to offset some of the boiler’s natural gas consumption, which made it a very energy-efficient swap! Click here for a more in-depth look at this project.
LED Re-Lamping
Like some of our other sites, Black Velvet replaces older lighting fixtures in their plant and warehouses as they go out with newer energy-efficient LED alternatives. Lighting is an easy and effective target for any plant who wants to become more energy-efficient!
As always, we want to extend a huge thank you to our teams at Deep Eddy and Black Velvet. They have been incredible partners in making our sustainability goals come to fruition, and without their innovation and expertise, reaching these goals would not be possible. We are so excited to see what these teams will accomplish in the coming years!
