Discover how Birra Peroni optimized steam generation at its Rome plant with a Cannon Bono's SG2000 HE Smart boiler powered by biogas and natural gas
September 2, 2026
Birra Peroni, part of the Asahi Group, is one of Italy’s leading brewing companies, with three production facilities across the country. The Rome plant is a strategic asset for its production operations and requires high standards of operational continuity, reliability, and energy efficiency.
The customer contacted Cannon Bono to upgrade the plant’s steam generation system, with the goal of integrating the different energy sources available on site more efficiently.
The facility already had a Cannon Bono boiler installed in 2011, with a steam production capacity of 20 t/h, operating as the reference unit. The objective was to introduce a new solution that would become the plant’s primary steam generator while optimizing overall energy management.
The main challenge was the management of a hybrid energy system based on natural gas and biogas produced on site from production waste through anaerobic digestion of the process’s organic fraction.
The customer required a solution capable of ensuring maximum flexibility between the available fuels, prioritizing biogas as the primary energy source, managing fluctuations in biogas availability through automatic fuel integration logic, and at the same time ensuring high efficiency and resistance to the corrosion typically associated with biogas combustion flue gases.
Cannon Bono’s solution was the supply of a 20 t/h SG2000 HE Smart boiler, designed for multi-fuel operation with automatic biogas priority and the ability to integrate or blend natural gas depending on biogas availability.
The HE Smart technology also made it possible to achieve the same efficiency levels previously requiring condensing systems, while providing a more compact and efficient solution.
The complete supply included:
- SG2000 steam boiler (20 t/h)
- Patented HE Smart system
- Multi-fuel combustion system for biogas / natural gas, with automated fuel priority and mixing management
- AISI stainless steel heat exchange surfaces
- 2 flue gas economizers
- 1 air preheater
- Chimney specifically designed for biogas flue gases, with high corrosion resistance
- OptiSupport / OptiCloud supervision system for performance monitoring and optimization
The project enabled Birra Peroni to significantly increase the use of its self-produced biogas, reducing reliance on natural gas and improving the plant’s overall energy efficiency.
The new SG2000 HE Smart is now the main steam generator at the Rome facility, while the unit installed in 2011 continues to operate as a backup system, ensuring maximum reliability and operational continuity.
