The world's largest brewer recently announced the beginning of an eight-year transition to entirely renewable energy.
The commitment announced by Anheuser-Busch InBev would affect six terawatt-hours of electricity each year and make the company "the largest corporate direct purchaser of renewable electricity in the consumer goods sector."
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.
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 through solar panels or other technologies.
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.
AB InBev officials added that the decision could help transform the energy sector in South America, India, Africa and other emerging markets in which it operates. The Zacatecas power purchasing agreement with Spanish utility Iberdrola is expected to increase Mexico's wind and solar energy capacity by more than 5 percent.