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MONDAY 02 MARCH, 2009 |

Solar Energy To Help Power Coffee Company

by Energy Matters

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, based in the USA state of Vermont, will build the state's largest grid connected solar array on the rooftop of its distribution center in Waterbury. The construction of the 100 kW solar array is expected to begin soon and completed late this year.

While the electricity generated by the approximately 530 solar panels will only produce a small percentage of the total electricity Green Mountain Coffee needs for its production facilities, the project is seen by the company to demonstrate environmental leadership and to show US state and federal governments that solar energy is viable, but needs policies that provide a broad-reaching structure for all forms of renewable energy. The project is expected to produce electricity equivalent to the consumption of 16 houses.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is a company that appears to take its environmental and social responsibility commitments quite seriously through many initiatives including the allocation of 5% of their pre-tax earnings to social and environmental causes, sales of Fair Trade Certified coffee, energy efficiency and waste reduction programs, projects in coffee-growing communities and product donations.

The company is also a regular sponsor of National River Cleanup, part of the their CAFÉ Program (Community Action for Employees), which provides paid time off for employees to volunteer in their local communities.

Recently, the company also issued a request for proposals from nonprofit organizations that are working to address climate change, offering four USD $200,000 grants for projects in transportation-related emissions, threats to coffee-growing communities, building political will, and individual empowerment.