Earlier this month, we invited tenants from Greendale Business Park to our first-ever ‘Insight Day’ to learn how their businesses are powered by renewable energy.
Our anaerobic digestion (AD) plant generates renewable energy using an innovative mixture of organic waste materials from our farm, consisting of cow poo, water and crops.
Not only does the AD process help us to responsibly manage our farm waste, but it also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting organic waste from landfills in addition to producing nutrient-rich digestate, an excellent alternative to chemical fertiliser that supports soil replenishment.
We’re proud to have our own AD plant, operated by Willowglen Renewables, which powers more than 155 businesses on Greendale Business Park.
Insight Day for tenants
Our Insight Day started with a guided tour of our AD plant with Director Tom Chanter, who explained the process of turning waste materials into enough renewable energy to power every tenant on our business park, our farm shop and more.
During the tour, the tenants were shown each step of the AD process, highlighting the important link between farm waste management and sustainable energy production. Dung from our cattle, run-off rainwater from the roofs of our farm buildings and specially grown crops, means we can ‘feed’ the AD plant a steady supply of organic matter which produces a consistent supply of biogas and therefore electricity for the business park.
After the tour, the tenants headed back to our head office, where we provided marketing materials and presented information on the benefits of being a sustainably powered business.
By promoting eco credentials, such as being powered by renewable energy, businesses can attract new customers, boost brand reputation, reduce operational costs and appeal to the growing number of investors looking for strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.
The information gained has been useful for our sustainability messaging on our website, and it has also helped me personally to better understand where our electricity comes from. Seeing the scale of the operation was particularly impressive and gave me a greater appreciation of the work and infrastructure required to keep the plant running efficiently and provide a reliable source of renewable energy.
