Month: July 2022

With climate change a pressing concern, the need to achieve greenhouse gas emission targets is becoming increasingly important. However, renewable energy sources that can help decrease these emissions, like solar, aren’t always accessible or affordable.

Solaires, a past participant in the Spring Activator Campbell River Impact Investor Challenge, is addressing this issue by developing accessible solar energy technology of their own. We chatted with Carolina Betancourt, Marketing and Business Development Manager, about Solaires’ innovative technology, passionate and diverse team, and goals. 

Tell us about Solaires’ mission. 

At Solaires, our mission is to make solar energy more accessible by developing photovoltaic solutions that contribute to minimizing the planet’s environmental footprint.

What inspired your founders to start Solaires? 

Being passionate about new technologies to improve human lives, they started Solaires knowing how important it is to take action now to reduce the carbon footprint. Their personal goals include being able to use their knowledge and experience to work towards saving the planet and creating a better place for the next generation. 

As a company, we have gathered a great number of specialists and experts in this field, and are working with several universities and industry partners to achieve our goals. 

What were some of the challenges they encountered? 

We have a disruptive technology which, unlike sustaining innovations that improve existing products, we are reinventing a technology with a new business model. In addition to developing and validating our new technology, finding the best go-to-market strategy is one of the challenges we have faced.

Moreover, leading a large team of scientists, engineers, and business professionals is one of the day-to-day challenges to make sure everyone is aligned with our product development and business goals. 

We strive to have everyone respect and follow our core values at Solaires. We have created a safe environment for everyone to share their thoughts and ideas, and make sure everyone feels valued and heard.

What is Solaires’ biggest success? 

Although Solaires is a young company, we were able to gather more than 20 professionals and experts in this field, some with more than 20 years of executive experience. Today, we are working with five different research groups inside and outside Canada. 

We have signed MOUs (memorandums of understanding) with several partners in Canada and overseas to test and evaluate our products. Furthermore, one of the founders’ biggest personal successes is seeing how engaged and dedicated our employees are to our goals.

What makes your organization unique? 

We have a very diverse team with different backgrounds and mindsets who have come together to pursue one goal: help Canada achieve the zero greenhouse gas emission target by making solar cells and solar energy conversion technology more accessible and affordable. 

We are changing the way solar cells are currently made and are also impacting the ability of women and minorities to participate in a science-based industry. Solaires is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), with 60% of the management team being women. We are committed to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and we are also in the process of being B Corp certified.

How do you feel Solaires make the world better?

Solaires is ambitiously working towards a number of powerful impact areas. Without a major acceleration in clean energy innovation, net-zero emissions targets will not be achievable. That is why we are developing the next generation of solar cells made from perovskite, which will make clean energy solutions more accessible and affordable while also broadening the possible applications for solar technology. 

At the same time, we are raising awareness about climate change, supporting women in STEM, and advancing progress towards sustainable development. We are bringing to market clean energy innovation that will accelerate the transition to a cleaner world.

Tell us about your organization’s goals. 

Our primary goal as an organization is to secure a more reliable and clean energy source that will effectively help in emission reductions necessary to meet the international climate goals, as well as national reduction targets. 

We want to support Canada in achieving its zero greenhouse gas emissions target by developing and marketing an innovative technology to harvest solar energy. We also hope our endeavour towards this goal will help establish Canada as an innovation hub and a world class centre of excellence for research and development of solar cell technology.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share? 

We are planning to collaborate with Canadian and overseas organisations to help us develop as well as commercialize our solar cell technology. We have signed NDAs with these potential partners and are in the process of finalizing the partnership agreements. 

We are also partnering with universities to test our products. Our aim with these partnerships is to bridge the gap between the technology that exists in university labs and the commercialization of said technology.

What do you most want people to know about Solaires?

We want people to understand the impact our project can make in a world where drastic emission reduction is paramount to control climate change. Our solar technology cuts down emissions of solar cells by 40 percent, making it a more clean source of energy. Our solar panels will be much more efficient, and the manufacturing for them needs fewer resources compared to the current solar panels. 

We also need people to know that we are a purpose-driven company that is proud of the work we do. Our diversely talented team, made up of over eight different nationalities, practices our core values every day. At Solaires, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are part of our DNA, and we consider it the foundation of our innovation. Together, we are building an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our employees.

How can people help or contribute to Solaires’ mission?

The easiest way to support us in our mission will be to spread the word! Please share about us, our products, and our mission in your social media handles. The support will help us attract investors who are interested in investing in our project. People can also help us grow and expand our network by introducing us to investors who are interested in our technology, to potential customers, and to partners who align with our mission and values. 

This story was featured in the Make The World Better magazine:

Dive into another inspiring story:

• Bluebird Grain Farms: Cultivating for the Next Generation
• Canadian Organic Growers: Advocating for an Organic Future
• Cascadia Seaweed: Making a Splash to Make the World Better
• Ecosystem Services Market Consortium: Improving Soil Health
• EMKAO Foods: Transforming the Economy with Every Cocoa Bean
• Moment Energy: Harnessing the Power of Clean Energy Storage
• Nada Grocery: Going Package-Free to Save the Planet
• ReFeed Canada: Securing Sustainable Food Systems

Even in Washington, one of the largest wheat producing states in the US, purchasing farm direct organic grains locally is not an easy feat.

Bluebird Grain Farms went “against the grain” to become a vertically integrated agricultural producer and processor, and they’re now on a mission to make farming across the US better for people and the planet. We chatted with Brooke Lucy, Co-Owner, Marketing, Sales & Product Development, about Bluebird Grain Farms’ history, mission, and goals.

Tell us about Bluebird Grain Farms‘ mission. 

Our mission is to cultivate and produce the most nutrient dense grains for our customers, and more importantly, for the next generation. This means growing and processing our ancient wheats with a minimal carbon footprint and taking care of the soil every step of the way.  

Growing under an organic regenerative system means we take care of the soil, the wildlife, and the environment around us. Our employees and our community are included in this. 

We want to expand our network of farmers, inspire other farms to transition to growing under an organic regenerative farm system, and prove that an organic regenerative system is good for the health of the planet and the ecological and human communities that live amongst the farm system. 

What inspired you to start Bluebird Grain Farms? 

We started Bluebird Grain Farms in 2004 because we could not purchase farm direct organic grains locally, even though our own state of Washington was one of the largest wheat producing states in the country. 

We saw a niche. Ancient wheats clearly had more flavour, more nutrients, and were more resilient to a fluctuating climate. All these factors compelled us to grow ancient wheat.

What were some of the challenges you encountered? 

Immediately, we realized that we were going to have to set up our own processing facility because there were no organic wheat processors in Washington at the time. Also, the equipment needed to process ancient wheat was very difficult to find. Learning to process ancient grains was our first initial hurdle.  

Over the last 10 years, finding good employees in a small rural setting with rising housing prices has also been a challenge. It has been kind of a lonely path building our business, mostly because we are in a rural setting with not a lot of agriculture around us. Thankfully, we have always had this incredible support from our customers which has truly kept us going. 

What do you consider Bluebird Grain Farms’ biggest success? 

The fact that we have stayed in business for 18 years now is amazing. We are essentially running three businesses within one business. I feel that the quality of our product and the consistency of delivering a good product has been a big part of our success.  
Sharing our story along the way has been important in engaging with our customers about what we do and why we do it.

What makes your organization unique? 

Being vertically integrated as an agricultural producer and processor has helped us understand and know our industry very well. It has not been easy, but looking back, the knowledge that we have learned has helped us strategize our growth; we intimately know the challenges of ancient grain farming and processing. 

We know what it takes to grow these grains and to make a business out of it. Understanding the cost of goods to produce and process has been the key determining factor in our success. 

Having a niche market with ancient wheats has been critical to the success of our business. Our products have set the stage to the emmer and einkorn market that are now developing in the US today.

How do you feel Bluebird Grain Farms makes the world better?

We make the world better by providing nutrient dense grains that require less water and are cultivated under a strict organic regenerative farm system that provides good food for the people and good soil for the future. 

Our farm model to produce and process local organic ancient wheats has really sparked an incredible movement throughout the US. In 2004, there were very few producers/processors of grains; there were a few Amish farms in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and Anson Mills in South Carolina. 

Now, there are probably more than five or six organic mills and several farm direct grain businesses just within Washington state, and a huge movement growing in the Northeast and the Midwest. Being successful has helped ignite others to try. This is very exciting. Our role now is continuous improvement and asking ourselves the question of what can we do to be even better at what we do?

Tell us about your organization’s goals. 

In June 2022, we will be moving into our new processing facility that is located on one of our grain fields. We will have increased capacity in our production as well as a great location. Here, we will be able to grow our business and show our customers how a vertically integrated organic farm operates. 

People want to be connected to their food source and we want to be the connector. Our new location will allow our customers to engage in purchasing our grains, while witnessing the farming, storing, cleaning, and packaging of our products. It will be an experience, and not just a purchase. 

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share? 

An “education component” is something that we will be implementing once we are moved into our new facility. We want to be a model farm for other organic regenerative grain farmers. We want to share and learn from others and grow our network of organic regenerative farmers in Washington state. We are not sure what this looks like yet. We are exploring partnerships with community organizations, and ideally, engaging a local university in some of our projects.

What do you most want people to know about Bluebird Grain Farms?

We have built our business on growing and selling nutrient dense ancient grain products and fresh milled flour. We hope to expand the tenets of our business beyond just the health of our product, but also the health of the planet.  

To begin, we want to educate our customers about organic regenerative farming and carbon sequestering. We believe net zero farming is possible.

How can people help or contribute to Bluebird Grain Farms’ mission?

Firstly, you can engage with Bluebird by purchasing our products, visiting us, and talking with us. Share with us on our Instagram and Facebook pages.   

Secondly, engage with friends and family by starting a conversation and educating them about the importance of supporting small scale organic regenerative farms. 

Thirdly, eat local. This is a movement that is not going away, and it is critical to a low carbon footprint.  

Fourthly, patronize restaurants and stores that sell products from small scale organic farms. 

Last but not least, ask local grocery stores and restaurants to sell local products; the consumer often has more leverage than farmers and small businesses. Sometimes, they need to hear from their customers that they want to see local food on the menu and on the shelves.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better magazine:

Dive into another inspiring story:

• Canadian Organic Growers: Advocating for an Organic Future
• Cascadia Seaweed: Making a Splash to Make the World Better
• Ecosystem Services Market Consortium: Improving Soil Health
• EMKAO Foods: Transforming the Economy with Every Cocoa Bean
• Moment Energy: Harnessing the Power of Clean Energy Storage
• Nada Grocery: Going Package-Free to Save the Planet
• ReFeed Canada: Securing Sustainable Food Systems
• Solaires: Illuminating Good with Affordable Solar Solutions