Reducing Our Operating Footprint

At Highland Park, we’ve set a goal of becoming net zero by 2045. It’s an ambitious journey for a 227-year-old, Orcadian distillery. But we’re powered by a different energy here in Orkney.

Our immediate focus is on our near-term goal to reduce our full-scope emissions by 50% by 2030. To achieve this, we’ll reduce our own direct (Scope 1 and 2) emissions, by continuing to drive energy and resource efficiencies across our operations. We will also work closely with our key suppliers and partners to map and reduce our Scope 3 emissions.

While there’s still much work to do, here’s what we’ve achieved so far: 

Existing energy and resource efficiencies  

• The Highland Park Distillery is certified to the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard. We operate within key energy and water management efficiency targets, which link our production volume to our key resource use. This means we only ever use what we need.
• We use 100% verified renewable electricity across our business operations. In January 2024, we also transitioned our two Highland Park tour and experience vehicles to EVs.
• We currently hold a SEPA ‘Excellent’ rating for our water management at the Distillery.
• By the end of 2025, we’re aiming to reduce the amount of water required within our distillation operations from 17l/lpa (litre of pure alcohol) to 15l/lpa. These efficiencies will be mostly driven by our new mashtun and washbacks. 

A New Heat Recovery System 

In March 2025, our Highland Park Distillery and Visitor Centre reopened following a modernisation project to future-proof our 227-year-old distillery, enhancing efficiencies from our distillation operations and reducing our environmental impact.

At the heart of this modernisation is a new heat recovery system, capturing heat from whisky distillation to be reused across the distillery and significantly lowering the water and energy we require to produce each litre of whisky.

Historically, the process of drying the malted barley used to make Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky required coke - a coal-based fuel with a high carbon content.  Our new Heat Recovery System allows us to recover heat from the condensers that we use in our distillation process and redirect it for use in our kilns to dry our malted barley, removing the need for burning coke altogether.

The remainder of the heat from this system upgrade is also used elsewhere across our buildings and operations, helping us to deliver an estimated 20% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) at the distillery, saving more than 1000 tonnes of CO2e per year

Transitioning away from kerosene use 

Being far from the mainland means that in Orkney, we have no natural gas grid supply. Like other premises across the islands, we rely on shipments of kerosene to fuel our heating systems and business operations. 

• At the Distillery, many of our current processes rely on kerosene - from our general heating system to steam creation, as well as our cleaning and washing systems. We recognise the need to transition to a cleaner fuel source and are actively reviewing the feasibility of viable alternatives.
• This type of transition means we must consider a broad range of issues - around emissions reduction potential, island-specific logistics, planning permissions and capital investment requirements.
• Following the results of our initial feasibility study, we’re currently reviewing an interim solution to reducing kerosene across our operations, until a full longer-term transition is possible. Watch this space for updates.

Peat extraction, reduction, restoration and protection 

• Highland Park is the only distillery in the world to use Orkney heathered peat. We source our peat from an area of Hobbister Moor, just down the road from our distillery. It’s used to smoke our barley and creates the satisfyingly subtle hint of aromatic smoke that you can only find in our whisky.
• We own and manage the area of Hobbister Moor where we source our peat. This means we have direct control over our own extraction methods and ensures that we are operating to high industry standards.
• We maintain a close custodial role on Hobbister Moor alongside the RSPB, to help protect local wildlife. Under licence from Orkney Islands Council, we also operate in close accordance with the strict regulations associated with the nature reserve designation on Hobbister – which we’ve held for over 48 years.
• We adhere closely to the Scotch Whisky Association’s (SWA) Commitment to Responsible Peat Use (CRPU). This sets out a framework to ensure that all SWA members are actively engaged in developing and delivering plans for the responsible management of peat use and peatland restoration.
• In 2023, our distillery team achieved the Responsibly Managed Peatlands Certification. This distinguishes certified companies whose operations are minimising negative environmental impacts.
• You can read more about our peat reduction, extraction and restoration work to date here.