Chris Griffin and  Andrew Horningold, management team, have made it their mission to enhance the eco-credentials of Norfolk Farm Produce for the last four years. The company is now the proud owner of four Windcrop turbines at two farms and is already reaping the benefits.

Norfolk Farm Produce is a family-owned business in the village of Beeston, specialising in the production of potatoes, rhubarb and carrots. As well as growing vegetables, the company also has facilities for washing, grading and storing. These processes use plenty of power and Norfolk Farm Produce is keen to reduce costs while also conserving the environment.

Chris Griffin, managing director, explained: “We take our environmental responsibilities seriously and customers rightly expect us to put the environment at the forefront of what we do.  We’re part of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and the English Woodland Grant Scheme to help protect and conserve our local ecosystems. We’re also members of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and we are actively improving the habitat of many species of birds and wildlife on our land.”

It was a logical progression for Norfolk Farm Produce to consider renewable energy sources and research into different methods of harnessing renewable energy presented Windcrop as the ideal solution.

“The Windcrop system is perfect for what we need,” said Andrew. “In such a difficult economic climate we wanted to reduce the possibility of financial risk and the appeal of a Windcrop turbine is that there’s no cost to us; from the installation to the maintenance, they do all the hard work for you.”

Norfolk Farm Produce met with Windcrop in spring (2011) and the first turbine was installed at Drury Farm in October 2011. The electricity generated from this turbine helps to power the water treatment plant for use in the carrot washing process.

“The installation was hassle free and there was very little disruption to the everyday workings of the farm. The turbines are relatively small and are strategically placed to cause the least impact on the landscape. We have a herd of Highland cattle and they don’t seem to mind in the slightest. I’d compare the noise of the turbines to trees blowing in the wind. Our neighbours have wind turbines too, so they’re not concerned.”

In fact the team at Norfolk Farm Produce was so impressed with the process that the company chose to have three further turbines erected at a second site, Crossways Farm. Installed at the beginning of December 2011, these turbines will power the farm’s workshop and all the machinery this involves including the storage facilities and the irrigation pumps based close to the farm yard.

Andrew added: “We’re really happy to be taking another step in the green direction. Plus, with the cost of fuel increasing and operating a business in this tough economic climate, free energy production has made it a lot easier to reduce our electricity bills. I’m looking forward to comparing our electricity costs with last year’s to see what we’ve saved – it looks very promising so far.

“I can’t stress how important it is that we make every effort to be sensitive to the natural environment which is central to our business. It might seem like small steps, but I would encourage anyone with a suitable plot of land to consider a turbine – the benefits speak for themselves. Businesses have a responsibility to think about a sustainable future.”

Are you thinking about adopting some renewable energy systems? Would you like explore and understand the renewable energy technologies available to you?

On February 14^th, Windcrop and the NFU are hosting a renewables conference where industry experts will be speaking about wind power, biomass boilers, solar energy and ground source heating. If you would like to attend the event or find our more, visit www.windcrop.co.uk or contact Sue Baldock on 01603 882152/ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it