Blue Roof Distillers
From Taters to Solar Innovators
Devon Strang, a sixth-generation potato farmer in Malden, New Brunswick, owns and operates Blue Roof Distillers, a unique distillery known for its expertise in producing vodka made from smaller, market-unfit potatoes. This innovative approach not only reduces waste but also benefits the local agricultural community by generously providing the leftover mash as cattle feed to nearby farmers.
As a seasoned farmer, Devon confronts the daily challenges posed by adverse weather conditions and is aware of the effects it has on their crops. This awareness fuels his unwavering commitment to sustainability. Recognizing the alignment of his values with Blue Roof’s sustainable goals, Devon saw an opportunity to incorporate solar energy into his operations.
“When you can extract more of the given input, you’re being more sustainable for the environment. Our whole distillery’s goal was to be more sustainable as a farm and solar panels add to that whole project.”
When contemplating solar for the distillery, Devon sought The Smart Energy Company to install a 50kW NOREASTER Solar Farm to assess the numbers and how much power it could produce with future plans to expand to a total of 100kW down the road. In his anticipation of expansion, Devon proactively pre-engineered their electrical entrance, allowing for the seamless addition of five more NOREASTER systems. Upon completion of this entire project, Devon’s ultimate goal is to completely offset their power consumption both on the farm and the distillery.
“This project upon completion will actually offset our entire electrical needs for the distillery, plus some for the farm. So our goal here within the next years is to actually add enough solar panels to the facility to be completely carbon neutral from an electricity perspective.”