Arla has announced the opening of two new solar parks, which will supply around 20% of the energy needed to power its entire UK operation from renewable sources.
The new solar parks, for which Arla has signed a deal with Engie and Infinis, will be in operation at sites in Boston in Lincolnshire and Offham in Kent during 2024.
The sites are set to generate around 23,000 MWh of energy and create savings of approximately 4,439 tonnes of CO2 a year.
Both solar parks are on sites previously used as landfill, and form part of an initiative to generate more clean energy and make a positive impact on the environment.
“We are on a journey to climate net zero by 2050, which means that we are taking steps to reduce CO2e emissions on our farms, as well as focusing on other areas, including our production and logistics operations,” said Fran Ball, VP of production at Arla.
The announcement of the new solar parks would contribute towards Arla reaching its goal of 100% renewable energy across production sites by the end of 2025, it said.
“Partnerships like this help to protect higher-grade agricultural land from development – supporting both food security and energy security – and we hope will pave the way for many more such projects,” said James Milne, chief commercial officer at Infinis.
Arla has also recently completed the installation of roof-mounted solar panels on its Oswestry site, which during peak power can generate 800kW. These panels can generate 12% of the site’s annual electricity usage, which would remove 137,920kg of carbon emissions.
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