Rooftop solar panels at two Sussex sites will ensure Barfoots continues to supply all its own energy needs as the business expands
Major sweetcorn producer Barfoots has installed a state-of-the-art solar energy system on the roofs of its two sites in West Sussex.
The company, which also grows various other vegetables such as asparagus and courgettes, has been energy-self-sufficient since 2010 when it installed an anaerobic digestion plant to convert vegetable waste to electricity.
The goal with the vast solar array is to ensure Barfoots can continue its energy independence – and protect itself from volatile energy prices – as the business expands and further automates its processes.
The solar arrays, installed by clean energy tech firm Plug Me In over the past two years, are one of the largest SolarEdge rooftop installations in the UK.
The energy system is split across two Barfoots sites – Sefter Farm and Leythorne – and is Meteocontrol-enabled, meaning it benefits from advanced weather forecasting integration.
This allows the system to optimise energy production based on real-time weather data, ensuring Barfoots gets the most out of every ray of sunshine.
Plug Me In handled the design, planning, network approval, and handrail installation across the two sites, to ensure the PV system did not impact existing infrastructure.
Across the two installations, the system is projected to generate approximately 2,240 MWh of energy a year.
In terms of environmental impact, the system will save almost 400 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. This is equivalent to planting almost 20,600 trees.
Barfoots stressed that the project is much more than just a cost-saving measure, but rather a statement of the company’s “enduring commitment to sustainability”.
“Barfoots Group is already renowned for its approach to sustainability in every aspect of how it conducts its business – not just in energy production but also in its farming methods, water treatment and reuse, and land stewardship,” said group chief financial officer Nick Lake.
He added that the installation will ensure Barfoots remains a net exporter of power “long into the future”.
