Sweetcorn and exotic vegetable specialist Barfoots is leading the way inbecoming the first company to use its waste products to provide electricityfor a new fleet of electric vehicles.
The firm's facility in Chichester has been working towards acarbon-friendly solution for the re-utilisation of waste bi-product such assweetcorn husk and vegetable out-grades, which traditionally would havegone to animal feed or landfill.
Barfoots has insteadengineered a way to transform costly waste into valuable electricity, fuellingnot only the business’ needs but also a new fleet of green vehicles across itssites in Hampshire, Sussex and the Isle of Wight.
The process takes the waste and transports it through an on-site anaerobic digestion plant, which produces methane to feed an electricity powergenerator.
The fleet is then charged up at various points around the businessusing the green electricity.
Barfoots' technical director and head of sustainability, Keston Williams, said: 'Environmental innovation has been key to our business strategy for a number of years and really sets us apart from our competition.
'Green energy production is central to the carbon reduction programme, as is recapturing heat, recycling water and reducing our synthetic fertiliser usage.
'We will continue to invest in the development of these advancements and lead the way for both our customers and the Barfoots business as a whole.'
Car manufacturer Renault has been working with the company on the project,and will see its Kangoo ZE van, and a Renault Zoe ZE car, rolled out as thefirst vehicles to be fuelled by pure vegetable power.
The vehicles have a range of around 100 miles – suitable for travellingbetween the Barfoots sites to transport staff, collect visitors and deliverstock.
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