Valorisation of Carbon Dioxide from Fermentation in Craft Brewing: Potential Technologies, Brewer Interviews, and Implication for a ‘Three-Level Valorisation System’

The brewing industry of all sizes is increasingly undertaking various initiatives to comprehend its carbon footprint and to implement measures aimed at mitigating its environmental impacts. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present research for the first time investigates technologies and challenges specific to craft brewers in valorising carbon dioxide (CO₂) from beer fermentation. A systematic review was conducted by assessing multiple databases and existing commercial development, leading to the identification of three carbon capture technologies. This involves an existing direct CO₂ capture unit, as well as emerging microalgae systems and bicarbonate systems. A summary of these technologies was presented to five craft brewers located in the Rhône-Alpes region of France, before conducting semi-structured interviews with them. All the brewers expressed keen interest in exploring avenues to mitigate their carbon emissions, despite their lack of awareness regarding the presented technologies. The results indicated a clear need for technical training, advertisement campaigns, and governmental support to implement the technologies among craft brewers. Furthermore, to address the concerns raised by the interview participants, a three-level valorisation system was proposed. This system involves the cascading use of CO₂, enabling the sharing of investments and resources among technologies at a regional community scale. It is anticipated that the study will serve as a valuable resource for craft brewers as they consider small-scale carbon capture solutions. Additionally, it is expected to provide insights for academic, governmental, and business clusters seeking to build local infrastructure to support the implementation of such technologies.