Bigelow Tea works to reduce carbon footprint one electric vehicle at a time
Bigelow Tea is exploring the ways in which electric vehicles (EVs) can reduce the company’s energy costs and carbon footprint. Through a partnership with Fermata Energy, the specialty tea market leader is installing a bidirectional charger at its facility in Louisville, Kentucky.
“We wanted to learn how electric vehicles equipped with bidirectional charging systems can reduce our building costs and our impact on climate change,” said Cindi Bigelow, third-generation president and CEO of the family-owned company.
“Our partnership with Bigelow Tea will help us advance our mission of getting more renewables on the grid and more EVs on the road,” said David Slutzky, founder and CEO of Fermata Energy. “Fermata Energy’s technology paired with a bidirectional enabled vehicle and our proprietary software has successfully reduced building costs by returning energy back to the grid during peak periods.”
“We are always learning new ways to advance our company’s mission,” Bigelow said. “We hope we can lead by example and bring this technology to our other facilities, resulting in further cost reductions and show others the value in transitioning their fleets to electric vehicles.”
As a Certified B Corporation, Bigelow Tea’s manufacturing process centres around conserving energy and water, waste reduction efforts, and land preservation and protection efforts. To be recognised as a B Corp, a company conducts a rigorous assessment of its business practices and must meet the highest standards of environmental and social performance, and include the interests of its stakeholders among the corporate responsibilities.
In addition, Bigelow Tea was designated a “Zero Waste to Landfill” company in 2012 and announced earlier this year that 100% of the energy used across all three of its facilities comes from 100% renewable sources, which have been certified by Green-e Energy, the national leader in clean energy certification.
“For 75 years Bigelow Tea has focused on doing the right thing for the right reasons.” Bigelow said. “That is why we have made such a strong commitment to greening, wellness, and community. The partnership with Fermata Energy advances these efforts.”
For more information on how Bigelow Tea makes a difference and leads by example, visit: bigelowtea.com/Responsibility/Sustainability.
For more information on how Fermata Energy’s vehicle-to grid technology works, visit: www.fermataenergy.com.