Anheuser-Busch’s (A-B) Merrimack brewery, a one million square foot plant, was built in 1970 on 294 acres in New Hampshire. It includes a 225-acre wildlife habitat on historical land. The Merrimack brewery manufactures Budweiser products for the Northeast Region.
Since 2004, A-B Merrimack has participated in the New Hampshire “CORE” Energy Efficiency programs. With the assistance of Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), the Merrimack facility has completed 27 projects. These projects have reduced summer peak demand by 836 kilowatts and reduced annual kilowatt-hour consumption by 9,067,717. Completed projects include:
- administration building HVAC automation
- lighting optimization of warehouse and packaging areas
- compressed air system optimization
- lighting optimization in brewing and stock house areas
- plant HVAC automation (26 units total)
- retrofitted outdoor HID lighting to compact fluorescent lamps
- optimized cooling tower water filtration system
- improved cooling tower pump efficiency
- lighting optimization of brewhall and tour areas
Meanwhile, the brewery is in the process of:
- optimizing control of the beer packaging building HVAC system
- installing electronically controlled motors for HVAC condenser fan applications
- installing variable frequency drives on additional motors
- lighting optimization of additional brewing areas and facility outside entrances.
The Merrimack brewery’s environmental stewardship extends to the local community. They host conservation fairs, scouting events and facility tours, where water and energy conservation measures are emphasized. In addition, A-B Merrimack has hosted energy fairs in partnership with PSNH for its employees. The plant’s commitment to sustainability and the environment has earned it the New Hampshire Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention and an Association of Energy Engineers Energy Award.