Ona Coffee has made the switch to solar, powering its roastery and head office with renewable energy.
The solar panels, installed throughout 2019, were part of Ona Coffee’s long-term plan to reduce its carbon footprint and work towards more sustainable practice, says General Manager Tom Beaumont.
“Sustainability and more energy conscious practices are at the forefront of our immediate goals,” Tom says.
“As part of the values we hold at Ona Coffee, we are always trying to develop innovative ways to do what we love. At the same time, we feel a responsibility to ensure that we are taking care of the planet as we do this.”
The newly installed panels, which cover the entire roof of Ona Coffee’s head premises in Canberra, power the roastery, offices, and adjacent café. Ona Coffee Founder and former World Barista Champion Sasa Sestic believes the switch to solar is also part of the roaster’s connection to origin.
“Over several years, we have been investing in ways to make coffee farms more sustainable, starting from the soil and trees through to post-harvest techniques, such as carbonic maceration, which use significantly less water for fermentation,” he says.
“However, we also need to acknowledge that on the consumer end of the coffee chain, there are many ways we can be more sustainable.”
In addition to solar power at its Canberra facility, Ona Coffee is looking to bring its sun-charged ethos to its new premises in Melbourne, set to open in 2020.
“We’re looking at every single aspect of the planning, building and operations of our Brunswick site to ensure that we are as sustainable as possible,” Tom says.
“Part of this will be adopting solar power for our energy use, as well as using a range of recycled and repurposed materials.”
Ona Coffee’s solar energy is just one project the company is taking as part of long-term sustainability measures, says Marketing Manager Jordan Montgomery.
“From our connection to origin through to our partnerships with our customers across Australia and the world, we’re putting measures into practice to make coffee more sustainable,” Jordan says.
“We can’t leave these decisions and actions for future generations to deal with. It’s our responsibility to act on issues of climate, waste and energy now.”
For more information, visit www.onacoffee.com.au
