Honeywell Technology Helps Hepworth Brewery Cut Carbon Emissions

Innovative Refrigerant Advances Brewer’s Sustainable Brewing Vision

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 9, 2024 -- Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) today announced that UK-based Hepworth Brewery is now using its low global warming potential (GWP) Solstice^® 1233zd refrigerant in a groundbreaking heat pump system to help decarbonize beer production as part of a pilot program.

By incorporating Honeywell’s low-GWP refrigerant into Futraheat industrial heat pumps, Hepworth Brewery expects to significantly reduce its Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions, energy consumption and operating expenses.

In the brewing process, heat is an essential component that is often delivered via high temperature steam pipes that emit waste vapor. With the integration of Futraheat’s Greensteam heat pump, which uses Honeywell’s Solstice technology, Hepworth Brewery is now able to recycle the waste vapor. Instead of releasing this vapor into the atmosphere, the heat pump boosts it to provide steam at 130 degrees Celsius, which is then reused in the brewery.

The pilot project will enable Hepworth Brewery to reduce its energy use by up to 90% in the wort boiling process, where sugary liquid is boiled to extract flavors and sanitize, resulting in operational savings and emissions reductions compared to fossil-fuel boilers. In the future, the project could be scaled up site-wide to offset almost all the fossil fuel-generated heat used at the brewery.

“Sustainability has driven the way we do business from day one, and the heat pump, if successful during this pilot programme, will be an important next step on our journey to carbon neutrality. With heat such a vital part of the brewing process, finding a solution that delivers the heat we need, while also cutting our emissions and costs, promises to be transformational,” said Hepworth Brewery chairman Andy Hepworth. “Futraheat and Honeywell are pioneers in sustainable technology, and we are delighted to be partnering with them to realise our shared ambitions for a cleaner, lower carbon future.”

Across its business, Hepworth Brewery already has several other sustainability initiatives in progress such as installing solar panels; using reed beds to clean its low-grade effluent; and taking heat from beer chillers to heat the brewery offices, shop and tap room; and installing rain recovery equipment.

The current pilot project with Honeywell’s Solstice product and Futraheat has been delivered in collaboration with Hepworth Brewery and the UK Government Department for Energy Strategy and Net Zero’s Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator programme, managed by the Carbon Trust. The programme enabled Futraheat to develop its steam-generating heat pump technology. Since then, Futraheat’s patented compressor has been integrated into the heat pump unit at Hepworth and commissioning has now begun.

"As we move toward broader adoption of low global warming potential refrigerants, Honeywell is developing eco-friendly alternatives that reduce carbon footprints and improve energy efficiency, safety, and performance," said Julien Soulet, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Sustainability and Decarbonization in EMEA. "Our Solstice technology is non-toxic, non-flammable, and supports companies in reaching their carbon reduction and energy consumption goals. At the same time, it also meets the environmental needs of various industries like food and beverage, which enable businesses like Hepworth Brewery to take advantage of this innovative technology."

"Futraheat’s technology, featuring our patented TurboClaw compressor, recycles low-grade waste heat and boosts it by up to 60 degrees Celsius today – but in future models, it will be able to provide useful process heat up to 150 degrees Celsius," said Tom Taylor, CEO of Futraheat. "Our high-temperature Greensteam heat pump, combined with Honeywell Solstice technology, optimizes performance, which is especially beneficial for the brewing process and many other industrial processes, including pharmaceuticals and the broader food and beverage industry."

Honeywell has invested more than $1 billion in research, development and the creation of new capacity for its Solstice technology since its inception. The technology currently has applications in refrigerants, blowing agents, aerosols and solvents, and is also being evaluated for expanded use in metered dose inhalers. Since its introduction in more than a decade ago, the use of Honeywell Solstice technology has helped avoid the potential release of the equivalent of more than 395 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or the carbon emissions from nearly 94 million gasoline-powered passenger vehicles per year.¹

About Honeywell

Honeywell is an integrated operating company serving a broad range of industries and geographies around the world. Our business is aligned with three powerful megatrends – automation, the future of aviation and energy transition – underpinned by our Honeywell Accelerator operating system and Honeywell Forge IoT platform. As a trusted partner, we help organizations solve the world's toughest, most complex challenges, providing actionable solutions and innovations through our Aerospace Technologies, Industrial Automation, Building Automation and Energy and Sustainability Solutions business segments that help make the world smarter, safer, more secure and sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.

¹Calculations are based on actual sales of Solstice products (in lbs) from Jan 2010 through Dec 2023 and utilize the EPA GHG equivalency calculator for conversion.