CORNISH BUTCHER SLASHES ITS POWER BILLS AS IT TURNS TO THE POWER OF THE SUN
Renowned Cornish butchers Kittows, which manufactures over 3 million sausages every year for restaurants, shops, hotels and cafes across Cornwall has become a more energy efficient business after turning to the power of the sun to help fight soaring energy costs.
The family - fifth generation butchers – who have been based at their 23 acre Kilhallon Farm since 1880 – are set to slash its £1000 a month electricity bills in half after having solar panels fitted to its farm buildings adjacent to its manufacturing unit where it prepares and produces a wide range of meats, pasties, pies and quiches which it supplies across Cornwall in addition to its own Fowey Deli.
With fridges running 24 hours a day 365 days a year, a chance meeting with Ross Sundercombe of Cornish energy efficiency specialists Outlook Energy has seen Kittows reduce its electricity bills by over £6000 a year and also benefit from the Government’s Feed In Tariff – which will see it receive payments over the next 20 years for producing green power.
According to James Kittow, the solar panels bring significant benefits to the business.
“Electricity is one of our biggest costs – coming in at around £1000 every month. With electricity prices going up and up every year it is a real pressure on us - a small Cornish business - so to be able to cut those costs in half almost instantly by producing our own electricity through solar, as well as become a greener business and benefit from the Feed in Tariff is a massive benefit to us.
“Provenance and quality has always been and remains at the heart of what we do and we have built a reputation on this so to be able to reduce our impact on the environment whilst saving significant costs has really opened our eyes to the opportunities of becoming greener,” added James.
According to Sales Director for St Austell-based Outlook Energy Ross Sundercombe, a visit to the farm to buy some meat from Kittows led to the Solar project being undertaken.
“I had popped into the farm to buy some meat when James asked me to help him rescue a toy arrow from the roof of one of the barns. The moment I was up there I knew instantly that the roof was absolutely perfect for solar and raised the idea with James who was really interested and the project blossomed from there and we managed the whole process for them.
“As a result of the installation, the Kittows, set to benefit to the tune of £250,000 over the next 20 years not only as a result of the electricity savings but also because of the Feed in Tariff payments, something we are doing for increasing numbers of businesses in Cornwall,” said Ross.
“For farming families across Devon and Cornwall that have diversified into running food production facilities requiring refrigeration facilities or have moved into providing holiday accommodation and facilities such as swimming pools that draw large amounts of power, or indeed that have stayed within traditional activities such as milking parlours, solar panels on roof buildings can make a massive difference, not just in terms of cutting power usage and costs but benefiting from Feed In Tariffs and certainly in our experience, more farming families in the region are increasingly looking at the benefits this brings,” added Ross.
According to Outlook Energy farmers and land owners have a big part to play in the renewables sector moving forward toward the 2020 & 2050 EU targets set, despite the fact that Government is set to scrap subsidies for large scale solar farms amid growing concerns they are despoiling the rural South West.
“Farmers are still in a very strong position because nearly all farms have a huge amount of agricultural buildings, the roof tops of which could be installed with solar. This would support the industrial and commercial push that the government are now endorsing and bring the financial benefits straight to the farmer/landowner,” added Ross.
For more information on Outlook Energy and its solar solutions for commercial, industrial and agricultural settings, visit www.outlookenergy.co.uk or call them on 0845 052 9650 or email info@outlookenergy.co.uk.
