Brewers have long been on the forefront of environmental causes and sustainable initiatives. From recycling to energy efficient equipment, craft breweries have long worked to leave a minimal footprint from a very resource heavy industry.
Recent shock on fuel prices and rising energy costs along with an aging power grid in many states has caused breweries of all sizes to think about alternative energy sources or bringing equipment in house to keep the lights on and taps flowing.
Adding solar or wind options, especially when installing hardware, comes with upfront costs but there are benefits to not only a ledger but also in good will and respect for the planet.
Solar
Solar panels have become a common sight at breweries, and companies have added them for different reasons. It’s not as easy as just calling a local company and throwing an array on the roof. Before committing to sunshine as energy there are a few questions to ask.
The first is to figure out if your existing brewery is a good candidate for solar.
“Solar panels work best when installed on a sunny south-facing roof or a large area on your property with little to no shade,” according to NY-Sun, a public-private partnership based in New York. The organization points out that ground mounted models are also an option.
The size of a solar system largely depends on a brewer’s energy needs, and professionals can assess needs during an on-site visit.
“A good starting place is to gather a year’s worth of your electric bills,” says the organization. “Your solar contractor will use that information and assess your business or building’s sun exposure, the size and slope of your roof, available roof space, and other factors to determine how big your system will need to be. Your contractor can also tell you if a ground-mounted system may be a better fit for your site than a rooftop system.”
If a contractor says that a brewery isn’t an idea location for solar, then the organization suggests looking into community solar, which collects power at an alternative location and credits towards electric bills can be purchased.
Wind Power
Small wind turbines can be used in business settings to directly offset electricity usage using net metering, where power that is not used by the business is credited to the customer as it flows back on to the electricity system, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
These small turbines are “commonly in the 1- to 10-kW range but can be larger,” notes the office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. “They can be used to partially offset load or support a completely off-grid [business]. These turbines can sometimes be integrated with other components, such as PV systems and storage and power converters.”
No matter the route you choose, adding another sustainable step to brewing operations just seems to help make the beer taste a little better.