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Bacardi has celebrated the opening of its new Combined Heat & Power (CHP) system in Puerto Rico, set to halve greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of its Bacardí rum brand. The new CHP system at Bacardi’s rum distillery in Cataño, Puerto Rico, replaces heavy fuel oil with propane gas, shifting the site to cleaner energy. The system will generate 100% of the energy used at the campus including the distillery, offices and the Casa Bacardí visitor centre. Bacardi described the 50% reduction in Bacardí rum’s GHG emissions as a significant step in its broader global sustainability programme, which includes a commitment to achieving a 50% reduction in GHG emissions globally across its entire business by 2025. In addition to the new CHP system, the Bacardí rum distillery is implementing other environmental practices including the creation of biogas through the cleaning of waste water, which then powers the distillation and creates electricity – more than 60% of the distillery’s energy is generated this way. A new treatment system helps to clean the biogas and reduce environmental impacts, and 95% of the heat generated during distillation is recaptured to reduce energy required. Bacardi is also developing a new project to capture CO2 from the fermentation process and supply it to the sparkling drinks industry in Puerto Rico. Edwin Zayas, VP of operations for Bacardi Corporation in Puerto Rico, said: “At Bacardi, we are committed to cutting our GHG emissions by reducing our energy consumption and switching to the most sustainable form of energy where we make our beloved brands”. He added: “We are proud of the work we are doing in Puerto Rico, and across the globe, to be greener and cleaner with our energy”. Other global targets made as part of Bacardi’s Corporate Responsibility programme, Good Spirited, include a 25% cut in water consumption at Bacardi production sites and 100% of product packaging to be recyclable by 2025, as well as a commitment to being 100% plastic-free by 2030.