Lion completes $7.2M project at Speight’s with 3MW electric boiler

Lion has commissioned a 3MW electric boiler at Speight's Brewery in Dunedin, completing a $7.2 million project that is expected to slash the historic brewery's greenhouse gas emissions by around 85%.

Officially commissioned by Dunedin MP Rachel Brooking, the project upgrades the brewery's primary energy source for steam production from LPG to electricity. It is projected to deliver lifetime emissions savings of 18,500 tonnes – equivalent to 708 tonnes per year – and represents around 6% of Lion's total New Zealand emissions.

Lion's Chief Operating Officer and NZ Country Director Craig Baldie said the investment reflected the company’s long-term sustainability ambitions. “Founded in 1876, Speight’s is Lion's second largest brewery and a much-loved tourism attraction. This project is a clear example of our ambition to be a force for good and a force for growth.”

The new 3MW electric boiler at Speight’s in Dunedin.

The project was funded through a shared investment model, with Lion contributing $4.1 million, EECA providing $1.6 million in co-funding, and Aurora Energy investing $1.5 million in associated lines upgrades. Aurora upgraded and installed 480 metres of 11kV cable along Rattray Street, improving electricity transfer capacity across central Dunedin and supporting future electrification projects in the area.

EECA's Manager Regional & Sector Partnerships Paul Bull said the project demonstrated what strong collaboration could achieve. “Lion has shown real leadership - this was a complex project, and it will provide inspiration and lessons for others considering electrification.”

Originally conceived in 2021, the project took just over four years to deliver. Engineers had to navigate Dunedin's ageing central city infrastructure and the constraints of the 150-year-old brewery's architecture.

As a certified B Corporation, Lion says the Speight's boiler project exemplified its commitment to partnerships that deliver wider community and environmental benefits alongside commercial outcomes.