[[{“value”:”Image: Neuhaus Neotec
Neuhaus Neotec reveals its hybrid solution helping large-scale roasters operate using renewable energy and curb their carbon emissions.
As interest in sustainability continues to grow in the coffee industry, so do developments in making the roasting process more environmentally friendly. Processing plant manufacturer Neuhaus Neotec is one of the companies leading the charge and creating solutions for roasters looking for a hybrid approach.
Lars Henkel, Neuhaus Neotec Area Sales Manager and Head of Marketing, says its new heating technology, which is integrated into its hot-air roasting system [RFB], enables its customers to operate their plants with 100 per cent electric energy.
“For more than 50 years, Neuhaus Neotec has built coffee roasters and grinders for small, medium, and large coffee producers all over the world. About 40 years ago, we launched our revolutionary RFB system and have built on its technology to offer a new hybrid solution,” says Henkel.
“As a company, we want to help big plants lower their energy consumption and implement environmentally friendly technologies.”
Understanding the demands of operating industrial-size plants amid ever-growing global environmental concerns, the company recognised the need for a hybrid model in the coffee market, particularly for those with a significant energy output.
“In times of energy insecurity and rising costs, we could see an increasing need for alternatives to conventional fossil fuels and the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and use sustainably generated power from wind, photovoltaics [solar panels], and hydropower,” he says.
“Right now, it is absolutely necessary to rethink energy usage in coffee production. With our updated RFB roaster series we can offer roasters options: either to run their plants fully electric or hybrid, by mixing electric power and conventional gas burners.”
Canadian coffee roaster Café William was the first business to implement Neuhaus Neotec’s hybrid system. Aware of its carbon footprint and observing severe weather conditions, Café William President and CEO Rémi Tremblay wanted to commit to hydroelectricity and chose to partner with Neuhaus Neotec to invest in the electrification of his plant.
“We felt we needed to do something. Over the past couple of years in Canada we’ve had extreme weather conditions, very high temperatures, and lots of forest fires. In 2023 in Quebec, the fires burned an area 10 times greater than the average number of hectares burned over the past decade,” says Tremblay.
“We felt a moral obligation to act, not just because we’re a company that wants to grow. We decided we wanted to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations. We also wanted to have a broader positive impact on our people and improve their living conditions.
“Our choice to partner with Neuhaus Neotec was made with the confidence that the company wanted to invest and take on the project with us. They convinced us, and they delivered on their promise.”
After initial trials in December 2023, the Neuhaus Neotec RFB 300 industrial-scale electric roaster was installed at the Café William plant in Quebec. According to both companies, the experiment was a resounding success.
“The first installation of our roaster was an exciting opportunity for both sides: for us as a supplier as well as for Café William, which has already seen an increase in its production figures using this more sustainable method,” says Henkel.
“According to the team at the plant, the impact of the machine on the roaster’s workflow was also seen within a short space of time. We have ensured the change of power supply from gas to electricity is quick and efficient. This enables the customer to switch to their preferred source of green energy with minimal disruption. With the new system, the customer can complete an end-to-end roasting process with the option of using a fully green method.”
Image: Neuhaus Neotec
According to Henkel, the RFB can help assist large coffee roasters in transitioning to more environmentally friendly solutions without compromising on performance by providing the option to operate with several energy sources.
“The upgraded RFB is a dual-energy hybrid roaster, so if a coffee roaster wants to keep several heat source options open, the design of the RFB allows them to do this. It can be operated electrically and with natural gas at the same time. This is beneficial to the roaster if they need to buffer high-energy peaks using either one of the energy sources,” he says.
“Even when using only electricity as an energy source, roasters can continue to use their own roasting profiles. This is one of the strengths of the machine in terms of offering adaptability and flexibility.”
Over the past couple of years, the company has recognised a significant increase in demand for alternative heating solutions, especially from roasters in Europe.
“In this region, we saw two events that had a significant impact on the sector. One was the political crisis with Russia, which saw a major disruptive shift to the continent’s energy and gas supply. Second is the continuing pressure from governments for larger companies to develop technical solutions to stop climate change,” says Henkel.
“On the political stage, we also saw the accelerated development of green hydrogen production. This all lead to Neuhaus Neotec thinking about its development of electrically heated roasters.”
Based on these political shifts and as part of the company’s aim for improved sustainable roasting methods, Henkel emphasises how the team at the brand are preparing for the future.
“As a company we are continuously looking for new solutions for more efficient roasting. We create techniques to extend the possibilities of roasting profile design to better influence the roasting curve and to use power efficiently,” he says.
“Our technical solutions are our contribution to helping achieve global climate targets. We are also predicting that conventional power sources will soon dominate the market in the coming years as infrastructure for alternative energy sources is still widely unavailable.
“Over the next few months, the company’s mission will be to offer all our customers ways to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions and to enable key players in the coffee industry to play a pioneering role in the transition to clean energy use. Times are changing and Neuhaus Neotec is preparing for the future.”
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This article was first published in the September/October 2024 edition of Global Coffee Report. Read more HERE.
The post Neuhaus Neotec on its hybrid coffee roasting solution appeared first on Global Coffee Report.
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