STiR coffee and tea magazine

18 STiR coffee and tea / Issue 3, 2022 (June / July) by Carrie Pallardy F rom the farm to the final pour, a lot of work goes into a cup of coffee. Like many industries, coffee has to contend with its impact on the environment. Deforestation, carbon emissions, and waste are byproducts of the coffee busi- ness, but operators throughout the supply chain now adopt business practices to ad- dress their environmental impact. What does embracing sustainability look like for businesses in the coffee space? For Wonderstate Coffee in Wisconsin, the journey to more sustainable energy be- gan back in 2015. The coffee roaster always operated based on a value-based mission, sourcing organic coffee and looking for ways to support equity throughout the supply chain. The team, led by founder and president TJ Semanchin, began to explore what it would take to install a solar field at its roastery in Viroqua, Wisconsin. The company connected with Ethos Green Power Cooperative, a local solar advo- cacy group, which guided the team through the process. Ethos knew how to navigate the funding process, directing Wonderstate to tax credits and a USDA grant. Next, they helped the Wonderstate team determine optimal placement for their solar panels. "If you're actually building your own solar array, it's very site-specific in terms of your exposure and where you can put it," Semanchin explains. By the time the summer of 2016 rolled around, Wonderstate's solar system was fully powered up. While sustainable energy was the initial impetus for exploring solar power, Wonderstate quickly realized the economic benefits as well. The 30-kW solar array supplies 100% of the roastery's power today. In 2022, Wonderstate has paid off its initial investment, which means the electricity powering its roastery is essentially free moving forward, according to Semanchin. The Wonderstate team tracks the amount of electricity supplied by its local grid that it uses to see how its solar panels offset that usage. "The initial intention was consistent with our values, and we sized up the invest- ment. It made a ton of sense," he says. Going Green: How the Coffee Industry Is Embracing Sustainability From solar power to electric roasting, coffee companies across the supply chain find ways to integrate sustainability into their business models. The PuroSole roasting system uses direct sunlight to roast coffee, unlike traditional hot air or infrared systems. (Courtesy of PuroSole) The Bellwether roasting system is 100% electric and fully automated. (Courtesy of Bellwether Coffee) illycaffè offers eco-friendly products like E.S.E. compostable paper pods for espresso preparation. (Courtesy of illycaffè)

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