London-based Diageo, a multinational beverage alcohol company, has opened a new whiskey distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky. The facility will operate 100% renewable energy and is the firm’s first carbon-neutral site in North America.

The distillery covers 6690 square metres and has the capacity to produce up to 10 million proof gallons of Bulleit-branded bourbon annually. The company will hire 30 full-time employees for the new facility and has committed to sourcing non-genetically modified corn needed for production locally.

Perry Jones, president for North America Supply for Diageo, explained in a company press release: “Two years ago, we set a vision and commitment to build our first carbon-neutral distillery in North America. Now that the Diageo Lebanon Distillery is operational, I’m incredibly proud of the innovative actions from our teams and partners to fully electrify the facilities and power them with renewable electricity. This is a significant step in our journey to create a low-carbon future and be part of the solution to tackle the ongoing climate crisis.”

Diageo has made several additional investments globally in 2021 including the relocation of its North American headquarters in February as well as the opening of a new R&D centre in Shanghai, China.