The sun... perfect for energy and ice-cream sales

• Sustainable farm in the UK combines, wind, sun and biomass power plants
• Combined, these renewable sources meet 70 % of the farm's energy needs

Mackie's farm in Scotland is proud of its renewable energy mix, which draws only minimally from the central grid.

A set of wind turbines installed gradually between 2005 and 2015 are the beating heart of Mackie's renewable energy supply. The addition of a ten-acre solar collection farm in 2015 means the ice-cream company benefits from the sun in more ways than one!

Key results

The 6 912 individual PV panels, each with 260 W capacity, can generate a total of 1.8 MW. 

In 2015, a further 400 kW of biomass energy production was added, which heats the office and staff housing on the farm. 

This successful mix of renewable energy from wind, sun and biomass provides come 70 % of the farm's energy needs, and is helping to steadily reduce the amount bought from the grid.