For many of us, morning coffee is a cherished ritual. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee signals that the day has begun. But behind every cup lies an energy‑intensive production process, where the roasting itself is carried out using fossil fuels or biofuel. Does it have to be that way? Kjeldsberg Kaffebrenneri, together with SINTEF Energy Research, is now exploring electric coffee roasters that could suit their operations.
There is still some work to be done. They have now launched a preliminary project, supported by a NOK 700,000 grant from Enova. Together, they are assessing whether the current roaster can be replaced with a fully electric solution. Will the coffee taste just as good? Will work processes need to change? What happens to electricity costs and work practices if all roasting takes place in the morning, or if it is spread throughout the day? What technologies exists, and which ones are suitable? Will production lines need to be reorganised?
They have a green ambition. The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to more sustainable coffee production.
An important part of the green transition
Coffee roasting requires high temperatures and precise control. For industrial companies seeking to reduce their carbon footprint, processes like these are often among the greatest technological challenges.
Although the current facility already uses biofuel, the company sees potential to further reduce its environmental footprint through increased electrification. But it is not simply a matter of buying an off-the-shelf roaster plugging it in.
Only a few electric coffee roasters in the world
Even though electrification has advanced in many industrial processes, electric coffee roasting is still at a very early stage internationally. Today, only a few industrial‑scale electric roasters exist, with perhaps the best known located in Canada. This makes the project pioneering work in a Norwegian context.
“We have high ambitions for sustainability and want to continuously challenge established solutions. That is why we are now examining whether electrifying the roasting process could be a realistic and forward‑looking alternative,” says Jan Erik Glimsholt, CEO of Kjeldsberg Kaffebrenneri.
The project is currently in an assessment phase. No decisions have been made regarding investment or implementation, nor has any conclusion been reached on which technological solutions will be best suited.
“If industry is to succeed with the green transition, we must dare to explore solutions that have not yet been adopted on a large scale. That is precisely why preliminary projects like this are important. They provide knowledge about opportunities and barriers before larger investments are considered,” says Lasse Borg Anderson, Research Scientist in Energy Use at SINTEF.
Knowledge that can benefit others
Many food production companies face similar challenges when it comes to reducing emissions from heat‑intensive processes. The aim of the project is not only to assess future solutions for the company’s own operations, but also to contribute to broader knowledge about the electrification of thermal industrial processes.
Looking to the future
For Kjeldsberg Kaffebrenneri, the project is a natural part of the company’s long‑term strategy for sustainable value creation. By exploring new technology at an early stage, the company wants to be prepared for future requirements related to climate, energy efficiency and emission reductions.
The preliminary project will determine whether fully electric coffee roasting can become a realistic next step towards even more environmentally-friendly coffee production.
Although the answers are not yet available, the ambition is clear: to explore how the coffee of the future can be produced with the lowest possible carbon footprint.
