Plant Producing Energy From Whisky To Create 100 Construction Jobs

A revolutionary new factory that can produce energy from the by-products of whisky is set to create 100 construction jobs when the building work begins this summer. The £60 million plant is believed to be the first of its kind in the world and will generate enough electricity to power 9,000 homes, reports the BBC.

100 construction jobs to be created at world’s first whisky biomass plant

Construction of the plant by Helius CoRDe at Rothes, in Moray, will start this summer and the facility should be fully operational in 2013. The building project will create 100 construction jobs with 20 further full time posts to be created once the plant is complete.

Frank Burns, managing director of Helius CoRDe, said: "This innovative project demonstrates how Scotch whisky by-products can be put to good use to provide a big boost to the environment and ensure there are new sources of energy available for future generations.

"It also shows distillers working together, and in partnership with third-party expertise, for the future benefit of the entire industry."

Scotch whisky industry ‘investing in the future’

The Scotch whisky industry introduced an environmental commitment two years ago to create a fifth of all its primary energy needs through non-fossil fuel sources by 2020. They also committed to deriving 80 per cent of their primary energy from these sources by 2050.

Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), said: "This project underlines the Scotch whisky industry's commitment to investing in the future.

"In 2009 the industry made a commitment to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels as a source of energy.

"The project shows how we can create a virtuous circle within the Scotch whisky production process."