The world's largest brewer intends to utilize entirely renewable energy by 2025 under a new commitment announced last week.
Anheuser-Busch InBev said that the decision would shift 6 terawatt-hours of electricity to renewable sources each year and make the company "the largest corporate direct purchaser of renewable electricity in the consumer goods sector."
The company expects that 75 percent to 85 percent of its electricity will be acquired through direct power purchasing agreements, with the remainder generated at company facilities using solar panels or other on-site technologies.
The shift will reduce the carbon footprint of AB InBev's operations by 30 percent. Officials said that the company should play a "leading role" in combating climate change, which has "profound implications for our company and for the communities where we live and work."
“Cutting back on fossil fuels is good for the environment and good for business, and we are committed to helping drive positive change," CEO Carlos Brito said in a statement.
AB InBev added that the decision could help transform the energy sector in the emerging markets where it operates, including Africa, India and Latin America.
The transition will begin with an agreement to power its largest brewery — in Zacatecas, Mexico — with the help of wind energy systems expected to begin operating in 2019. The power purchasing agreement with Spanish utility Iberdrola is expected to increase Mexico's wind and solar energy capacity by more than 5 percent.