Aldea Coffee – MI
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Federal incentives help Aldea Coffee go solar
By: Gabe Hutchison

Aldea Coffee manages every aspect of its supply chain, from its partner farms in La Union, Honduras, to its roastery in Muskegon, Michigan. As a fully integrated coffee company, it maintains control of its product from seed to cup, ensuring the entire operation is aligned with its wider mission of sustainability. In 2024, Aldea’s leadership applied this ethos to its energy consumption and installed a 20-kilowatt solar array on its roastery.

“We knew we wanted solar to be on our building at some point. As the conversations were coming up, we came across the REAP grant and decided to go for it right away,” shared Brittany Goode, Aldea’s Sustainability Manager. The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) awarded Aldea a $20,000 grant to offset the upfront costs of going solar. The business will secure additional savings through the 30% solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). Together, these federal incentives funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) lowered the company’s cost to go solar by $44,000.

“The incentives really do inspire you to do it sooner rather than later,” Brittany said. “Since the incentives existed, the question [was], ‘If not now, then when?’” The new system enables Aldea to power its operations with electricity it produces onsite, significantly reducing fixed costs. “For September, our bill was only $300, down from around $1,000.”

For Aldea Coffee, going solar was a natural extension of its mission. Federal incentives eased financial barriers, accelerating the transition and enabling them to begin reaping the benefits of distributed renewable energy. The company hopes to be an example of how sustainable business practices can support long-term financial success. “It’s not always easy, but we don’t regret the decisions we have made one bit. We put in a little extra effort and see positive results.”

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