Why does renewable energy matter for food and beverage companies?

Food and beverage is one of the most energy-intensive sectors in Europe, with refrigeration, heating and processing running continuously. Electricity is about a third of the sector's energy use (Eurostat), so verified renewable electricity is a direct lever on Scope 2 emissions and on cost. It also protects the public renewable claims many brands have already made. Food and drink brands are also consumer-facing, so their renewable energy claims get read by regulators, retailers and customers. Renewabl stores every certificate traceable to the site and the hour it covers, and produces reports structured for CDP, SBTi and CSRD. If your hourly position is weaker than your headline claim, you see it early, with time to plan the narrative.

How do food and beverage companies procure renewable energy?

Through PPAs, unbundled certificates (EACs: GOs in Europe and REGOs in the UK) and green tariffs. Large, steady loads suit a physical or virtual PPA; smaller or seasonal sites often suit certificates or green tariffs. Renewabl Trade lets teams run competitive tenders for any of these across 130+ verified suppliers, and Track shows how well each option matches real demand.

How can food and beverage brands back up a '100% renewable' claim?

With verifiable, traceable data rather than annual certificates alone. The EU Green Claims Directive and UK Green Claims Code expect evidence behind the claim. Renewabl Track stores certificate numbers traceable to each site and calculates coverage you can show an auditor.

Can renewable energy procurement help with Scope 3 and supplier emissions?

Yes. Most of the sector's footprint sits in the supply chain. You can act as an anchor buyer and allocate certificates to suppliers timed to their production, or onboard them to buy their own through a simple link. Grouping sites and suppliers under one view makes joint reporting and supplier engagement more manageable.

What does the GHG Protocol Scope 2 update mean for the food and beverage sector?

The proposed update moves market-based reporting towards matching consumption with generation by hour and region. For sites that run continuously, annual certificates will demonstrate less than they do today. Renewabl's methodology already supports monthly and hourly matching, so sites onboarded now will not need to switch platforms when the standard is finalised. Timelines are not confirmed.

Food & Beverage

Renewable energy for the food and beverage industry

One platform to run PPA and certificate tenders, track your CFE score across every site, and report Scope 2 with data you can prove. Built for manufacturers, brand owners and FMCG groups.

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Estimate your hourly CFE score

Food and drink is one of the most energy-intensive sectors in Europe

13.8%

of EU industrial energy goes to food and drink, Europe's third-biggest industrial energy user (Eurostat)

Over a third

of that energy is electricity – the part that counts as Scope 2 (Eurostat)

50,000

EU companies now face mandatory sustainability reporting under CSRD, up from around 11,700 – many of them food and drink manufacturers for the first time

One platform instead of the spreadsheet patchwork

Many food and beverage teams still track renewable energy across spreadsheets and a handful of disconnected tools.

Renewabl replaces that with one platform for procurement, certificate management and Scope 2 reporting, backed by market experts.

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For every part of food and beverage

Beverages & brewing

High process heat and seasonal demand peaks

Dairy & chilled

Refrigeration and cold chain running day and night

Packaged & processed foods

Ovens, freezing and processing across many lines

Ingredients & fermentation

Continuous, energy-intensive production

Branded FMCG & consumer goods

Multiple sites’ energy data management, public claims and reputation, large supply chain footprint

Speak to us

Run PPA and certificate tenders in one place

Renewabl Trade runs competitive tenders for PPAs, certificates and green tariffs across 130+ verified suppliers, matched to your consumption.

Run a single tender for PPAs, certificates or green tariffs

Compare offers from 120+ verified suppliers side by side

Match every offer to your consumption profile before you commit

Explore Trade

Track CFE scores and Scope 2 across every site

Renewabl Track centralises consumption, PPAs, tariffs and certificates from every site, and reports your CFE score and Scope 2 against real demand.

Pull every site's consumption into one view

Map PPAs, green tariffs and certificates against real demand

Get CFE and Scope 2 reports, with or without grid data

Explore Track

For procurement leaders

Run PPA and certificate tenders in one place

Renewabl Trade runs competitive tenders for PPAs, certificates and green tariffs across 130+ verified suppliers, matched to your consumption.

Run a single tender for PPAs, certificates or green tariffs

Compare offers from 120+ verified suppliers side by side

Match every offer to your consumption profile before you commit

Explore Trade

For sustainability leaders

Track CFE scores and Scope 2 across every site

Renewabl Track centralises consumption, PPAs, tariffs and certificates from every site, and reports your CFE score and Scope 2 against real demand.

Pull every site's consumption into one view

Map PPAs, green tariffs and certificates against real demand

Get CFE and Scope 2 reports, with or without grid data

Explore Track

Trusted by food and beverage companies

“We’ve done our research and Renewabl is the best platform on the market.”

Top 25 food company globally

Your unmatched electricity exposure and price risk graphic

Hourly matching for food and beverage: closing the overnight gap

Many food and beverage sites run through the night, when solar has stopped and the grid leans on gas – a solar-heavy contract can show 100% annual coverage and 45% hourly coverage or lower.

You don't need to match every hour today: many buyers move from annual to monthly reporting first, and hourly is already built into the platform for when you do.

Estimate your hourly matching score

Getting ready for the GHG Protocol Scope 2 update

Educate

workshops on hourly matching and the GHG Protocol Scope 2 update

Evaluate

a data-readiness check and a roadmap across your sites

Enable

platform set-up, one market pilot, and team training

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News & insights

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GHG Protocol Scope 2 revision: what it means for your next PPA

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PPAs explained: The complete guide to Power Purchase Agreements

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Three hourly accounting case studies, with CFE score examples

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Is 24/7 carbon-free energy expensive? Cost of hourly matching and hedging explained

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FAQs

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Renewable energy for the food and beverage industry

Food and drink is one of the most energy-intensive sectors in Europe

One platform instead of the spreadsheet patchwork

For every part of food and beverage

Run PPA and certificate tenders in one place

Track CFE scores and Scope 2 across every site

Run PPA and certificate tenders in one place

Track CFE scores and Scope 2 across every site

Trusted by food and beverage companies

Hourly matching for food and beverage: closing the overnight gap

News & insights

GHG Protocol Scope 2 revision: what it means for your next PPA

PPAs explained: The complete guide to Power Purchase Agreements

Three hourly accounting case studies, with CFE score examples

Is 24/7 carbon-free energy expensive? Cost of hourly matching and hedging explained

FAQs

Why does renewable energy matter for food and beverage companies?

How do food and beverage companies procure renewable energy?

How can food and beverage brands back up a "100% renewable" claim?

Can renewable energy procurement help with Scope 3 and supplier emissions?

What does the GHG Protocol Scope 2 update mean for the food and beverage sector?

Speak with us about your renewable energy journey

Speak with us about your renewable
energy journey