Fresh Roasted Coffee's Sustainability Report - May 2026
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Time to read 3 min
Welcome back to Fresh Roasted Coffee's monthly Sustainability Report!
As spring settles into Pennsylvania, longer days and brighter skies are helping our sustainability initiatives hit their stride. May marked another strong month for renewable energy production at Fresh Roasted Coffee, delivering measurable environmental impact while supporting the work we do every day.
From powering our operations with renewable energy to roasting coffee with more efficient technology, we're committed to making thoughtful investments that benefit both our customers and the planet. Here's a look at what that impact looked like in May.
Powering Sustainability: Welcome Back, Pennsylvania Sunshine
Our solar array generated 99.102 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity in May 2026.
For perspective, that's a 15.4% increase over May 2025, when our system produced 85.914 MWh. Seasonal factors like longer daylight hours and more favorable weather conditions helped boost production as Pennsylvania moved deeper into peak solar season.
That energy translates into some impressive real-world comparisons:
- Enough electricity to power approximately 110 average U.S. homes for an entire month. (assuming ~899 kWh per home/month) US EPA
- Enough energy to brew an estimated 991,020 cups of coffee (assuming 100Wh per brew on a standard machine) Silicon Valley Power
- An avoidance of approximately 69.64 U.S. tons of carbon emissions through renewable energy generation.
As the days grow longer, our solar array continues to demonstrate the lasting value of investing in renewable energy infrastructure.
We used the EPA’s 2022 national average emissions factor of ~1405 lbs CO₂ per MWh, to determine that our facility avoided 69.64 U.S. tons of CO₂ emissions by using a renewable energy source for power.
Cleaner Roasting: Built into Every Batch
At Fresh Roasted Coffee, we also utilize energy-efficient Loring roasting technology, which recirculates heat and significantly reduces emissions compared to traditional roasting methods. This innovative approach allows us to roast with exceptional consistency while lowering our environmental footprint.
In May, we roasted 212,529 pounds of coffee using this cleaner roasting technology.
Based on established emissions calculations, those efforts helped avoid an estimated 12.01 U.S. tons of carbon emissions.
It's a reminder that sustainability isn't always about one major initiative. Often, it's the combination of many thoughtful decisions working together.
The Combined Impact
When we look at the impact of our renewable energy production alongside our cleaner roasting practices, the results become even more meaningful.
In May 2026, Fresh Roasted Coffee helped avoid approximately:
81.65 U.S. tons of carbon emissions.
For comparison, that equals
That's the result of generating renewable energy on-site while continuing to invest in more efficient ways to roast the coffee you love.
Coffee-Break Science: Why Seasons Matter for Solar
One of the most common misconceptions about solar energy is that solar panels produce the same amount of electricity every month. In reality, production naturally fluctuates throughout the year.
Several factors influence monthly output, including the length of daylight, the angle of the sun, cloud cover, and regional weather patterns. During Pennsylvania winters, shorter days and lower sun angles limit generation potential. By late spring, however, longer daylight hours allow solar arrays to capture more energy each day.
That's why May often signals the beginning of peak solar production season.
It's also why comparing year-over-year performance can be so valuable. While seasonal trends are expected, improvements in weather conditions and operational efficiency can lead to meaningful increases over previous years, helping us better understand the long-term impact of our sustainability investments.
Looking Ahead
With summer just around the corner, we're entering some of the strongest solar months of the year. While we celebrate May's growth and the milestones we've reached, we're equally excited to see what the coming months will bring.
Every cup of coffee represents countless decisions, from sourcing and roasting to packaging and operations. By continuing to invest in renewable energy and efficient technology, we're working to ensure those decisions reflect our commitment to a more sustainable future.
Thank you for following along with our sustainability journey. We'll continue sharing our progress, one month and one cup at a time.