Beverage manufacturer Frucor Suntory and CleanCo have executed an agreement, securing clean energy for the new beverage manufacturing facility at Swanbank.
The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan facilitated the new agreement, which means that the plant – Frucor Suntory’s first in Australia and the largest FMCG investment in Australia in the previous decade – will be powered by 11GWh of publicly owned renewable energy.
“Some of Australia’s favourite beverages will soon be manufactured using renewable energy produced right here in Queensland, with a deal enabling a state-of-the-art net zero manufacturing and distribution facility in Swanbank,” Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said.
Frucor Suntory CEO Darren Fullerton commented, “For over 120-years, Suntory has focused on Growing for Good, and we want our new +$400 million Swanbank facility to set a benchmark for sustainable investment for our global business and the FMCG sector.”
“Working with partners like CleanCo is essential to helping us achieve that vision and will allow us to operate with 100% Green Energy when the site goes live in mid-2024,” Fullerton said.
This follows the Queensland Government‘s $500 million commitment to spur the construction of up to 2.3 GW of large-scale solar and wind projects in regional Queensland.
“Matched by our investments in renewable energy, we’re directly reducing embedded emissions in products manufactured in Queensland, meaning our industries remains highly competitive in the global marketplace and that equals job security,” Minister de Brenni stated.
According to the State Government, this will eventually enable more businesses to procure more renewable clean energy, resulting in more jobs and new careers for Queenslanders.
“This deal means more local jobs through clean energy as one of the world’s biggest companies delivers on their ambition for their new facility to be a net zero operation.” Member for Bundamba and Assistant Minister for Energy Lance McCallum said.
Assistant Minister McCallum stated that Frucor Suntory’s new Swanbank facility would encompass beverage processing, packaging, warehousing, and distribution, and it is estimated to create 450 construction and installation jobs, as well as 160 long-term positions when it opens in mid-2024.
“It’s Queensland’s clean energy that is enabling businesses to plan for future growth, and importantly, our investments are ensuring Queenslanders continue to own the energy assets that will drive our renewable future,” the Assistant Minister added.
The State Government noted that the initiative capitalises on Queensland’s vast solar and wind resources and will significantly contribute to the State’s future renewable energy requirements of 70% by 2032.
“CleanCo is proud to provide our customers sustainable retail products, helping to attract large commercial and industrial businesses to Queensland and support them on their decarbonisation journeys,” CleanCo CEO Tom Metcalfe said.
“Under the agreement CleanCo will supply electricity and large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) covering 100% of Frucor’s electricity requirements demonstrating how, through providing sustainable, competitively priced clean energy solutions, CleanCo is supporting large commercial customers to thrive in a net zero future,” Metcalfe added.
