
A coffee plant in Vermont, which currently boasts the largest solar installation in the state's history, is the target of a new renewable energy initiative, which will use the plant's waste to produce green energy.
The Energy & Environmental Research Center recently announced at the University of North Dakota that it is leading the project to develop renewable energy technology at coffee-processing plants.
The project focuses on the waste from the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters plant, which had 530 solar panels installed on the roof in 2009.
“This project is an extension of work performed by the EERC for NASA, which explored the conversion of waste from a space station and future Martian and lunar bases into heat and power,” said deputy associate director for research Chris Zygarlicke. “This project will similarly utilize a mostly renewable and bio-based waste and convert it into electricity for the coffee industry.”
The EERC is planning to assess the outcome of the pilot program before proposing a full-scale commercial demonstration system for multiple other Green Mountain sites.
An installation of 21 wind turbines in Vermont was also recently announced, and the project will include the conservation of nearly 2,700 acres.

