Quickes Cheese

50 kW PV system keeps Devon cheese-maker’s refrigerators cold and bills low

When your business uses electricity 24 hours a day, seven days a week – is critically important to find ways to reduce the amount you buy from your energy supplier.

So, when Devon-based cheese manufacturer Quickes Traditional realised that it could significantly reduce its overheads – and boost its green credentials – by having a 50 kWp solar PV system installed, it was thrilled with SunGift Energy’s tailor-made solution.

“We use electricity continuously,” said Adam Reeves, Farm Manager at Quickes Traditional, “as we carry out every process onsite – from milking our herd of cows to maturing the finished cheese. Bills are particularly high during summer, but this is when our solar panels work to their highest capacity. All of the electricity they generate is used to help power our refrigerators.”

An average solar PV system provides around 50 per cent of the energy it generates directly to the business that owns it. The remaining 50 per cent is exported to the grid. However, businesses like Quickes that have constant energy needs often use every bit for themselves.

“When we initially looked at getting a system installed, the numbers looked good, but it would have taken up valuable farming land,” added Adam. “However, SunGift advised us that they could install it to the roof of our cheese store, without compromising any land.”

Carbon emissions reduced by 23 tonnes per year

The system produces around 44,000 kWh of electricity per year and reduce carbon emissions by 23 tonnes each year.