£150,000 renewable energy investment for Appleby Creamery
A thriving Eden Valley company has invested £150,000 in renewable energy. Appleby Creamery, based on the Cross Croft Industrial Estate in the town, has installed 480 solar panels on its roof. These provide up to 180kW of generation capacity, with the surplus being sold to the National Grid.
“This is all part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability at the creamery,” said the company’s managing director Maurice Walton. “Electricity usage is very high here and we want to be as green as possible in our operation.”
The panels have been an investment of more than £150,000, which has included grant funding from The Lake District Foundation and Westmorland and Furness Council, through the Greening Eden initiative.
“During the day the panels are supplying all our power and, once we install a suitable battery storage system in early 2024, which will be partly funded by Cumbria LEP, we hope to become almost self-sufficient in electricity and reduce consumption of Liquified Petroleum Gas,” said Mr Walton.
“This is obviously weather dependent and it will be interesting to see how the system performs in winter.”
A new 22kW public electric vehicle charger has also been installed at the creamery.
Appleby Creamery produces white mould-ripened brie, but it also produces a range of hard territorial cheeses, such as Gloucester and Red Leicester, and some spreadable soft cheeses. An increasing number of products are produced specifically for the kosher market.
The business is expanding and developing new products, including a halloumi-style grilling cheese log, which is ready to slice to create burgers.
Ian Barlow, who has recently joined Appleby Creamery as sales manager, said it was already proving popular with local chefs.
The expansion has also seen Tom Bucknall rejoining the production side of the business after a few years away.
Meanwhile, Mr Walton said he was honoured to have just received The Brian Peacock Award for lifetime contribution to the dairy industry from the Society of Dairy Technology at a ceremony during the society’s 75th anniversary gala dinner in Stafford.