Green Guinness: Inside Diageo’s New 100% Renewable Brewery

The beverages industry is a cornerstone of the Irish economy, with the country’s beers, spirits and liqueurs enjoyed the world over.

As the owner of brands like Guinness and Bailey’s, English firm Diageo is a major player in Ireland's drinks sector, and its supply chain is expanding in line with the popularity of its products.

Earlier this month, Diageo opened a new brewery in County Kildare where it plans to produce its beverages with a sustainable twist.

The newly constructed Littleconnell Brewery, which was opened on 11 May by Ireland's Prime Minister Micheál Martin and Diageo's CEO Sir Dave Lewis, cost around US$350m to build and will be powered entirely by renewable energy.

What’s more, Diageo is planning to invest a further US$466m in the site over the next three years, which will go towards building a second brewery to cater for the boom in demand for Guinness.

All in, the Littleconnell project forms part of Diageo’s almost billion-dollar investment programme across Ireland between 2020 and 2029.

Powering global brewing demand

Built in under 18 months on a 40-acre campus, the Littleconnell Brewery has been designed to serve both domestic and international markets, producing brands including Rockshore, Harp, Smithwick’s, Kilkenny and Carlsberg.

Beyond output, the facility highlights how Ireland is being positioned as a strategically important, energy-conscious production base within Diageo’s global network.

As demand for Guinness continues to rise worldwide, the planned Brewery 2 expansion will focus exclusively on Guinness and Guinness 0.0, more than doubling capacity while placing additional emphasis on efficient energy use at scale.

“The demand for Guinness and Guinness 0.0. is surging,” says Sir Dave Lewis, the CEO of Diageo.

“Today Diageo is proud to unveil our new state of the art brewery at Littleconnell, part of our €1bn (US$1.17bn) investment in Ireland.

“How fitting that it’s in County Kildare, the birthplace of Arthur Guinness.”

Renewable energy at the heart of the project

Energy strategy is central to the Littleconnell development. The brewery operates on 100% renewable electricity, embedding decarbonisation directly into day-to-day production.

Advanced brewing systems and process technologies have been deployed to optimise energy use while simultaneously reducing water consumption, reflecting a broader shift towards integrated resource efficiency.

Diageo estimates the site will avoid up to 15,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year compared with a conventional brewery of similar scale, aligning with its Spirit of Progress sustainability targets.

As energy costs and emissions regulations reshape global manufacturing, Littleconnell provides a working model of how high-volume brewing can be aligned with renewable power and carbon reduction goals.

“Ireland plays a key role in Diageo’s global beer supply and Littleconnell is central to enabling future growth in Guinness exports,” says Colin O’Brien, Category Head of Global Beer Supply at Diageo.

“This site is part of Diageo’s near €1bn (US$1.17bn) investment programme that strengthens capacity, builds resilience across our brewing network and supports the global growth of Guinness and Guinness 0.0 from Ireland.

“Littleconnell, together with the developments at St James’s Gate, will enable growth in overall beer exports from Ireland and help us deliver on Diageo’s Spirit of Progress sustainability commitments.”

Investing in sustainable manufacturing

While the brewery is geared towards global demand, it also demonstrates how energy-led industrial investment can deliver local economic benefits.

The project supported around 650 jobs during construction and has created more than 50 permanent skilled roles, many tied to operating advanced, energy-efficient systems.

“Today’s opening of Diageo’s new Littleconnell Brewery in Co. Kildare is a powerful vote of confidence in Ireland and in our future as a world-leading, sustainable food and drink exporter,” said Micheál, when officially opening the Littleconnell brewery.

“This landmark facility forms part of Diageo’s near €1bn (US$1.17bn) investment in Ireland between 2020 and 2029, underlining the central role Ireland plays within the company’s global brewing network and highlighting the strength of our agri-food and drinks sector on the international stage.

“By choosing to invest at this scale in Ireland and to lead the way in next-generation, low-carbon brewing, Diageo is supporting skilled jobs, regional development and export growth, while helping Ireland advance its climate ambitions through innovation.”

Backed by Enterprise Ireland, the project illustrates how large-scale food and drink manufacturing is increasingly tied to energy transition goals.

Alongside upgrades at St James’s Gate and Diageo’s Belfast packaging facility, Littleconnell forms part of a wider strategy to expand production, support Guinness 0.0 growth and embed renewable energy into Ireland’s brewing sector as it scales for future demand.