Queensland’s favourite beer will be brewed using 100 per cent renewable electricity after an agreement to power the iconic XXXX brewery at Milton with electricity from the Woolooga Solar Farm.

The 214MWp project in Lower Wonga, Queensland began construction in June 2021 and consists of three sites (i.e. Woolooga 1 and Woolooga 2 Site B, collectively known as ‘Woolooga North’ and Woolooga 2 Site A, known as ‘Woolooga South’) forming one project which will have an export capacity of 176MW AC. The whole of the solar farm covers approximately 500 hectares of land, which has predominantly been used for grazing.

XXXX Brewery, through its owner Lion, signed a new Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to procure 100 per cent renewable electricity from the Lightsource bp solar farm in Woolooga, QLD.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said an increasing number of companies want to decarbonise their operations and offer consumers low-emission products, made in Queensland.

“The pipeline of renewable projects in the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan means we will continue to see more and more companies make the transition and lower emissions.

“With the PPA in place, Lion has reached their target of 100% purchased renewable electricity by 2025 in Australia, two years ahead of schedule. And they’re Australia’s first large scale carbon neutral brewer.”

Lion Sustainability Director, Justin Merrell said in 2020 Lion became Australia’s first certified large-scale carbon neutral brewer.

“The 144-year-old XXXX brewery at Milton is one of Brisbane’s most historic landmarks, but this latest evolution to 100 per cent renewable electricity proves this icon of Australian brewing, is still capable of moving with the times,” said Lion Sustainability Director, Justin Merrell.

“This agreement will stop around 138,000 tonnes of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere. That’s the equivalent of taking 45,000 cars off the road.”