Solar installed at Flanders Farm. Image: AC Goatham & Son.
BeBa Energy has installed 1.51MW of rooftop solar across four buildings at two sites owned by apple growers AC Goatham & Son.
The installation is being lauded as “one of the UK’s largest roof mounted solar panel arrays”, consisting of JASolar 340W modules, a K2 mounting system, Huawei inverters and SolarLog for remote monitoring.
The solar uses existing roof space of the buildings at Flanders Farm in Hoo and Howt Green Farm near Bobbing, and is able to provide all of the power for Goatham's packing and cold storage operations.
Ross Goatham said the project – which began in the summer of 2020 – is an “important step for our business” as it is helping to “further reduce the carbon footprint of our growing and distribution operations”.
“Renewable energy is a crucial component in the UK’s plans to be a carbon neutral economy by 2050 and farming and the top fruit industry has an important role to play in helping the government to achieve this,” he added.
In 2019, BeBa Energy installed a 250kWp system for Hildon Natural Mineral Water, with the panels generating almost 225,000kWh of electricity a year and reducing the company’s annual demand by 27%.
Shaun Beattie, director at BeBa Energy, said that working with the team at Goatham's to develop the new project “was a pleasure”, adding that for the UK to meet net zero businesses “must play their part”, with this investment from Goatham showing “just how seriously they take their responsibilities”.