Belgium-based coffee company Sucafina and its subsidiary Beyers Koffie have teamed up with Belgian cleantech company CEE to create a coffee plant powered by green energy. The technology also uses 2.5 times less energy than the industry standard.
How coffee is roasted
Traditional coffee roasting uses gas-fired batch roasters, which are incredibly energy-intensive and make using renewable energy very challenging.
According to Koen Bosmans, the CEO of CEE, “Batch roasting requires a lot of energy and due to the nature of the process, the energy demand at the start shows an enormous peak. Therefore, to accommodate these peaks in energy demand, it is nearly impossible to connect the roaster to the grid or renewable energy supply.”
Bosmans explained that while hydrogen is a technically possible alternative to accommodate the huge heat demand peaks for batch roasting, it is economically unfavorable and limited in supply. To address these issues, energy efficiency and a continuous roasting process are essential.
Coffee roasted sustainably
Beyers Koffie sources its green energy through a combination of on-site solar panels and green energy contracts. The roasting technology is fully electrified and can be connected to any source of green energy, making it a sustainable choice.
Cory Bush, CEO of Beyers Koffie, also mentioned the potential for upscaling and replacing their existing roasters with the new, more energy-efficient technology in the future.
This innovative roasting technology supports roasting on a large scale, making a significant impact on the coffee industry’s sustainability goals.
Overall, this project aims to create a sustainable commodity in coffee and lead the way for responsible choices in the industry. Sucafina and its partners are committed to reshaping the coffee industry for the better and encouraging more responsible choices across society.