British farming hopes to reap renewable energy rewards.
Industry: Environment
Cost-cutting in the agricultural industry has hit the headlines over recent months with the fierce debate over rising dairy costs.
United Kingdom (PRUnderground) September 10th, 2012
Such focus on finance is set to continue too, as a recent study found that British farmers are looking into a new way to keep costs down – investment in renewable technologies.
According to research by Barclays, 31% of British farmers are considering the implementation of Ground Source Heat Pumps and Air Source Heat Pumps, for example, amid concerns over rising energy costs.
“Moving towards renewables would represent a sound business move,” said Andrew Louth, managing director of GroundTherm Ltd, a leading provider of renewable heating solutions. “Not only will the likes of Ground Source Heat Pumps substantially slash energy bills, they’ll also help to create revenue too.
“British farming is having a tough time at the moment so investment in renewable technologies now will provide a much-needed long-term boost.”
Martin Redfearn, Head of Agriculture at Barclays, added: “Most farmers see a move towards renewable energy as another form of diversification – and rightly so, as it can substantially cut energy costs and create new revenue.
“Over half of farmers considering renewables are still undecided about when they will actually make the investment. Investment in this relatively new technology is a big step, but there is plenty of support out there for farmers who want to know more. Talking to your accountant or your bank relationship manager can be a key first step towards finding out whether it is right for your farm.”
Of the farmers who expressed reservations about using renewable technologies, the majority felt that it would be too costly to implement in the first instance. Other reasons included a lack of understanding as to how it would help and poor return on investment.
“The cost of the initial outlay is a common concern for customers however depending on the type of fuel being replaced annual savings of a Ground Source Heat Pump system can be considerable – up to 1.8 tonnes of CO2 in environmental terms and £750 in monetary terms,” continued Mr Louth. “It’s obviously not for everyone but those who have installed such a system would testify that it’s one of the best business decisions they’ve ever made.”
To make an initial enquiry about renewable technologies such as Ground Source Heat Pumps and Air Source Heat Pumps, contact GroundTherm via the online form, call 0844 576 3307 or email info@groundtherm.co.uk
About Groundtherm Ltd
Groundtherm, in association with Nutherm, are local specialists who plan, install and project manage both the installation of Ground Source and Air Source Heat Pumps on behalf of clients.
