Why breweries are going solar

By Ben Delman on May 30, 2019
Breweries around the country are going solar. Click our map to find one near you.

More than 140 craft breweries around the country, from Alaska to the Florida Keys, Hawaii to Maine, have gone solar. Installing solar empowers these breweries to take control of where their electricity comes from and produce their suds with a clean energy source.

“For us, solar means a return to the roots of brewing,” said D.C.’s Right Proper Brewing. “Beer starts with grain grown in the sun. By powering our brewery with sun power, we are closing the solar circle.” Right Proper had solar installed on its production room in 2017.

Beer-making is an energy intensive process. Breweries spend hundreds annually on energy costs. A report from the Berkeley National Laboratory estimates energy can account for up to 8% of the cost of producing beer.

Adding solar to the mix enables brewers to both lower and lock in the price for the electricity they use. This peace of mind can be invaluable for breweries’ budget planning.

Going solar is also a way for breweries to demonstrate their commitment to producing their beer in an environmentally responsible way. “Being a part of such a resource-intensive industry, we felt the need to bring in as many sustainability initiatives as possible, said SingleSpeed Brewing. “In our personal lives, we are passionate about the environment so it only seemed fitting that we would bring those same passions into making beer.” SingleSpeed’s brewpub occupies an old bread factory and has had solar since 2016.

Legal Remedy’s solar system provides electricity and shade.

Some breweries have incorporated their systems into the design of their buildings. Legal Remedy’s 33 kW solar system doesn’t just provide electricity, it also provides shade to the brewpub’s guests.

“Who doesn’t want to drink a beer brewed with the power of the sun?” said The Northampton Brewery.

Solar United Neighbors is eager for more breweries to go solar. We’ve developed a guide to help your brewery go solar. Contact us if you’d like further assistance. We’re also excited to help homeowners go solar. Click here to learn how we can support you when going solar.