Australia and New Zealand beverage manufacturer Frucor Suntory has secured a clean energy deal for its new $400 million manufacturing facility, which will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy.
Frucor Suntory signed an agreement with publicly owned CleanCo for its new facility at Swanbank, Queensland.
The deal, enabled by the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, means the facility – Frucor Suntory’s first in Australia and the largest fast-moving consumer goods investment in Australia in the last decade – will be powered by 11GWh of publicly owned renewable energy.
Frucor Suntory’s new factory at Swanbank will include beverage processing, packaging, warehousing, and distribution, and is expected to deliver around 450 construction and installation jobs while also creating 160 long-term roles when it starts operating in mid-2024.
CleanCo Chief Executive, Tom Metcalfe, said, “Under the agreement CleanCo will supply electricity and large-scale generation certificates covering 100 per cent 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.”
The deal follows the Queensland Government’s investment of half a billion dollars to propel the development of up to 2.3GW of large-scale solar and wind projects in regional Queensland.
The Queensland Government said it will ultimately enable more companies to procure more clean energy, as well as creating more jobs and new careers for Queenslanders.
Queensland Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen, Mick de Brenni, said, “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.
“It’s the Queensland Government that attracted Frucor Suntory to Queensland through our programs that support significant, job-creating private sector investment projects.
“Matched by our investments in renewable energy, we’re directly reducing embedded emissions in products manufactured in Queensland, meaning our industries remain highly competitive in the global marketplace – and that equals job security.”
Frucor Suntory Chief Executive, Darren Fullerton, said, “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 per cent Green Energy when the site goes live in mid-2024.
Queensland Assistant Minister for Energy, Lance McCallum, said, “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.
“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.”
Featured image: Impression of Frucor Suntory’s new Queensland manufacturing facility. Courtesy of the Queensland Government.
