Canary Media: This Startup’s Electric Roasters Cut Carbon and Costs from Coffee-making

Roasting coffee requires high temperatures — up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit for as much as 20 minutes per batch. Today, the vast majority of that heat is generated by fossil fuels. Most of the world’s coffee is roasted in gas-burning machines that emit carbon dioxide and require elaborate venting and afterburner equipment. Bellwether produces all-electric, efficient machines that replace gas-burning roasters, giving cafes a sustainable – and affordable – way to roast their own blends. The machines use closed-loop heat recovery to capture and filter the smoke and particulate matter that the roasting process produces, avoiding the ventilation, ductwork, and energy-intensive ​“afterburner” systems needed to clean up exhaust. Read MORE.