Briggs of Burton will install sector-leading mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) technology as part of the project. The energy-saving technology enables distillers to reduce energy usage at the distillery by 2000 megawatt hours, enough to power approximately 145 houses.

Kevin Leach, sales and commercial director at Briggs of Burton, said: “GlenAllachie distillery approached Briggs of Burton in 2021 to help them with this game-changing application. We supported by conducting a feasibility study which outlined the benefits and viability for adopting an MVR system and went on to win a deployment grant. MVR technology in distilleries works by using a mechanical compressor to recycle vapour generated during the distillation process, instead of seeing the vapour expelled out of the distillery through its chimneys.

“MVR systems capture the vapour emerging from the distillation of spirits. This vapour is then mechanically compressed, raising its temperature and pressure, before being condensed and reused as a source of heat, enhancing the overall energy efficiency of the distillation process, while reducing energy consumption and environmental footprint.”

Briggs of Burton has assisted distillers across Scotland in implementing advanced distilling technologies to capture and recycle heat that would otherwise go to waste.

The firm has also introduced Energy Store systems and Thermal Vapour Recompression (TVR) – another type of heat recovery technology that lowers the energy required to produce distilled spirit – in new and existing still houses which has reduced the total energy consumption at one distillery alone by over 40% to date.

Briggs of Burton will be working on the design and supply of the MVR system with GlenAllachie Distillery throughout 2024.

The grant was approved by the Scottish Industry Energy Transfer Fund (SIETF) and follows the feasibility study grant awarded by the same body.