PRESS RELEASE / May 2024 (Millers Falls) – Element Brewing and Distilling has been recognized as a “green beverage producer” by the recently launched BetterBev Recognition program. The distinction was awarded by the UMass Boston Green Brewery Project as part of a coalition of New England states receiving support from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pollution Prevention (P2) Grants. About 50 of New England’s more than 600 breweries have earned recognition so far, half of those in Massachusetts.
Founded by veteran brewers Dan Kramer and Ben Anhalt, Element is highly admirable in its energy conservation measures, retrofitting its building with LED lighting, insulating all of its pipes, and utilizing a programmable thermostat for efficient heating/cooling. To lower emissions even more, the business purchases 100% of its electricity through renewable energy certificates from local community solar farms. The switch from basic grid service to community solar equates to 23.7 MTCO2e of avoided emissions annually. That’s enough to compensate for the annual electricity use of nearly five average homes in the U.S. according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.
It’s not just emissions from energy use that Element has succeeded in reducing; its commitment to reusable serve ware in the taproom and a can carrier reuse program also lessen emissions associated with solid waste. And its “beer miles” (emissions associated with deliveries) are far less than most breweries, with half of its products sold on site and the rest distributed locally. The brewhouse even uses less purchased CO2 than most by sealing tanks during late-stage fermentation to take advantage of natural carbonation. Implementing such industry best practices and efficient SOPs has helped Element score at or below the Brewers Association’s benchmarks for energy use, water consumption, CO2 use and waste generation.
BetterBev was created to help beverage producers fully understand their environmental practices, principles, and impact, with the goal of reducing production inefficiencies, improving health and safety, and conserving natural resources. Recognition is earned after a beverage producer’s state oversight organization works with them to perform an audit and assessment of their environmental practices and impact. The process covers criteria ranging from water use to energy efficiency and conservation to waste reduction and even environmental culture.
For a list of the oversight organizations responsible for managing the green beverage producer program in each New England state visit the BetterBev website.
About Element Brewing and Distilling
Founded in 2009 by friends Dan Kramer and Ben Anhalt in a small storefront in Millers Falls, MA, Element specializes in fusing art and science to create unique and interesting beers and spirits. Their brewery and distillery combine traditional brewing techniques with innovative flavors to create unique and unforgettable beverages. Whether a beer enthusiast or a spirits
connoisseur, they’ve got something for everyone.
