Updated on February 15, 2024

·

Created on September 19, 2018

Compadre Coffee Roaster

Upcoming Update

Compadre is a solar-powered coffee roaster that reflects sunrays and concentrates them at one point in order to toast coffee beans.

Developed By
  1. Compadre
Tested By
  • Mikel Coffee
  • NESsT
Content Partners
Unknown

Author

Product Description

Compadre is a social enterprise that empowers coffee farmers in the central Peruvian jungle by providing them with solar-powered technology to roast and sell their beans. Compadre purchases the roasted coffee from the farmers then packages and sells the coffee on. The aim is to provide the small coffee producers with a greater source of income, while reducing their ecological footprints.

The solar-powered coffee roaster uses a Scheffler solar concentrator and a roasting drum to roast coffee beans. The product works by using the reflection and concentration of the sunlight in a single focal point, where the roasting drum and coffee beans are located. This energy concentration brings the drum’s temperature above 200°C and coffee can be roasted without electricity or gas.

Target SDGs

SDG 1: No Poverty

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

Compadre provides small coffee farmers with the technology.

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Solar Hybrid Coffee Roaster.

Manufacturing/Building Method

The Roaster is made locally by the manufacturer for the farming communities identified by Compadre.

Intellectural Property Type

Trademark

User Provision Model

Compadre provides small coffee farmers with the technology, along with training on how to roast their own beans.

Distributions to Date Status

In 2019, 18 farming families were using the Compadre Coffee Roasters to roast their product.

Roasting capacity (kg/hr)

3 – 4 kg/hr Interview with representative.

Roasting duration (hr)

0.33 hrs to roast 1 kg of coffee beans. Interview with representative.

Number of trays

1 drum

Temperature control

No Interview with representative.

Operating temperature (°C)

220 oC max temp. Interview with representative.

Design Specifications

The solar hybrid coffee roaster is composed of two main parts: the Scheffler solar concentrator and the roasting drum. The solar concentrator harnesses the sun’s energy and reflects it to a single focal point located in the roasting drum’s aperture. Inside the roasting drum, the coffee beans are located, where they receive the concentrated solar energy and reach temperatures above 200 °C in under 20 minutes. When clouds appear and decrease the incoming power, the roasting drums use electrical heaters to make up for the energy deficiency. These electrical heaters are powered by the photo-voltaic system installed in the location of the processing plant.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Provided by the manufacturer. Basic maintenance training is given to the users of the solar roaster.

Replacement Components

Available from manufacturer. Interview with representative

Lifecycle

The manufacturer estimates that some parts can last 20 years while others need to be changed every 2 or 3 years. Interview with representative

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Compadre aims to create better economic opportunities for coffee producers' families by increasing their income and creating a more ecological coffee chain. They aim to boost the value of small scale farming.

Vetted Performance Status

In 2019 the manufacturer worked with 18 families and estimates a 50% increase in their income as a result of Compadre's model. NESsT worked with Compadre in the technical and functional validation of its coffee roaster, and the coffee product quality has also been tested by Mikel Coffee. Interview with representative

Safety

Potential hazards related to the operation of this product include accidental burning.

Complementary Technical Systems

The Compadre coffee roaster comes with a 1.5 kWp photo-voltaic system with 600 Ah battery bank and a 2 kW inverter. Interview with representative

Academic Research and References

Hadzich, M., Veynandt, F., Delcol, J., Hadzich, L. M., Pérez, J. P., and Vergara, S., 2014, “Design of a Solar Coffee Roaster for Rural Areas,” Energy Procedia, 57, pp. 3215 – 3224.

Compliance with regulations

Compadre uses food-grade materials for the machinery parts that are in contact with the coffee beans. They have also acquired sanitary and health certificates for the roasted coffee. Interview with representative.

Other Information

Watch videos of Café Compadre at Expo Live 2020 and an interview with one of the co-founders. Café Compadre’s Facebook page and Youtube channel. Product Video The coffee roaster technology is not for sale as Compadre’s business model is not based on machine sales, but on the coffee sales. Solar hybrid coffee roaster design specifications Basic maintenance training NESsT Mikel Coffee

Leave a Reply

Explore similar solutions

Agriculture

February 27, 2024

Chotukool

Read Solution

Implemented by

Godrej

Agriculture

January 22, 2024

Djilemo Oven

Read Solution

Implemented by

Louis Djilemo

Agriculture

January 23, 2024

Kinosol Orenda Food Dehydrator

Read Solution

Implemented by

KinoSol

Agriculture

January 5, 2024

Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage (PICS) Bags

Read Solution

Implemented by

Purdue University

Agriculture

February 8, 2024

Solar Milling Small-Scale System

Read Solution

Implemented by

Solar Milling Company

Agriculture

December 26, 2023

EcoFrost Micro Cold Storage

Read Solution

Implemented by

Ecofrost Technologies, a subsidiary of Ecozen.

Agriculture

January 25, 2024

SOL5 Oven

Read Solution

Implemented by

GoSol Solar

Agriculture

January 22, 2024

Sparky Dryer

Read Solution

Implemented by

Sparky Social Enterprise Ltd.

Agriculture

January 8, 2024

Lifeway Solar Poultry Incubator

Read Solution

Implemented by

Lifeway

All Solutions

Contribute to E4C's Library of Breakthrough Sustainable Development Technology Solutions

Suggest A Solution

Get more information about Solutions Library and its features.

Learn More

Have thoughts on how we can improve?

Give Us Feedback

Join a global community of changemakers.

Become A Member