The UK’s largest independent cheesemaker has extended its green credentials by installing two solar arrays on its dairy buildings in Bruton, Somerset.
Wyke Farms became the UK’s first national Cheddar brand to be 100% energy self-sufficient in September following the launch of its 1MW biogas plant.
The cheesemaker, which sells more than 14,000 tonnes of cheese every year, has since expanded its green portfolio by installing 74kW of solar PV.
Fitted by Brilliant Harvest, the panels are set to produce more than 70,000 kWh of electricity a year and save the business around 26 tonnes of carbon energy.
The new cattle barn at the cheesemaker’s Champflower Dairy was specifically designed to hold the largest herd of cows, and offer a larger roofspace to mount the solar panels.
“We aim to operate our business in a way that has minimal impact on the Somerset environment and to create a truly symbiotic relationship with the countryside that provides our food, our income and our home,” said managing director Richard Clothier.
“Part of our 100% Green strategy is to create all our own energy from renewable sources and we designed our barn to purposely accommodate solar paneling to power our dairy. Together with our biogas plant, this is another step towards ensuring we are one of the greenest brands in the grocery sector.”
