Roasting Using Solar Power
Lacas Coffee Company officially went solar-powered with National Energy Partners on Tuesday, May 14, 2019! This step forward is in line with our movement towards being a more sustainable company.
Our solar energy system includes 812 modules mounted on the roof of our facility in Pennsauken New Jersey. The system is produces approximately 388,800-kilowatt hours of electricity each year - enough energy to meet nearly 100% of Lacas Coffee’s energy needs. We use this power to run our entire facility, as well as power our electric car chargers. While our coffee roasters can’t be run completely on electricity, any and all electrical components of the roasters use power from our solar panels. Along with that, they power all our conveying systems, grinders, and packaging equipment.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the solar energy produced by Lacas Coffee Company through the life of our solar system will eliminate greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 6,874 Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide – that has the impact of 2,397 tons of waste being recycled instead of landfilled. The reduction of C02 emissions is equivalent to 7,514,297 pounds of coal burned, or 773,434 gallons of gasoline consumed. Lacas Coffee Company’s adoption of solar energy will have the same impact as growing 113,655 tree seedlings for ten years.
COFFEE CERTIFICATIONS
Lacas Coffee Company offers sustainable options for our customers, allowing them to purchase Fair Trade USA and Rainforest Alliance certified coffees. This allows them to choose to support the causes that matter to them, all while enjoying great coffee!
Fair Trade USA™ is a pioneering fair trade certifier, building an innovative model of responsible business, conscious consumerism, and shared value to eliminate poverty and enable sustainable development for farmers, workers, their families, and communities around the world.
The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities.
Instead of protecting nature from people, they work to restore the balance between people and nature so they both thrive in harmony.