Bewley’s Café Greens Grafton Street
Bewley’s Grafton St Café is greening Grafton Street by switching to green energy and gas, and introducing a number of environmental initiatives. Bewley’s, the market leading importer, roaster and supplier of fresh ground coffees and teas in Ireland, is switching to Ireland’s leading independent energy firm Energia for green electricity and gas in a new deal.
Pictured announcing the deal are Jim Corbett, Managing Director, Bewleys and Tom Gillen, Chief Operating Officer, Viridian Power and Energy.
The moves form part of Bewley’s award-winning commitment to environmental sustainability. In December 2008 the company became Ireland’s first fully certified carbon neutral coffee company.
Energia has 220MW of renewable electricity capacity contracted within its energy portfolio, the majority of which is operational with a further 400MW of wind farm projects currently in development across Ireland.
Commenting on the deal, Jim Corbett of Bewley’s said: “As part of our long standing sustainability initiatives we have been working hard to actively reduce our carbon footprint. This has included both the reduction of our direct carbon emissions as well as our achievement of “Carbon Neutral” status, which is independently certified by the CarbonNeutral Company.”
“The café’s switch to 100% green power follows the implementation of a comprehensive energy management policy for the building. This plan included the completion of a staff energy awareness programme, and a significant reduction in night-time energy usage; switching off most equipment at night time, and placing essential equipment on timers to reduce usage.”
“The café also implemented a waste management programme with a major focus placed on waste segregation and recycling in all areas.”
Gary Ryan of Energia comments: “We’re delighted that Bewley’s Grafton St. Café is switching to Energia for their green electricity and gas needs. This contract shows the benefits that we can provide to Irish businesses with competitively priced energy packages and power from renewable resources, all of which significantly benefits the environment.”
Bewley’s is already the first and only coffee roaster in Ireland to attain the ISO 14001 environmental management standard – independently certified by the NSAI. The company was also the first to import fairtrade-certified coffees into Ireland twelve years ago and is the largest supplier of fairtrade coffees to the Irish market.
Energia has a 25% market share of the business electricity market on an all–island basis with over 50,000 customers. The company also supplies 20% of all gas consumed in Ireland by the country’s business gas users.
The company is a leading all-island player in the provision of renewable power. Energia also supplies conventionally generated electricity from two major gas fired generating stations in Dublin
