New energy efficiency deal for Lincolnshire poultry farms

The UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) and its fund manager Sustainable Development Capital LLP (SDCL) have announced a new investment to finance the installation of biomass heating at Moy Park, a UK food business and provider of locally farmed poultry.

GIB has committed to invest in 60 biomass energy centres at Moy Park farms which will generate over 90% of the farms’ heating needs. These will provide sustainable heating into poultry sheds replacing the existing fossil-fuel burning LPG heaters.

In addition to reducing costs, the new energy centres will have a significant green impact, saving up to 3,500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year, equivalent to taking 1,600 cars off the road for the life of the project.

GIB’s investment is being made by the SDCL-managed fund, UK Energy Efficiency Investments, in which GIB is the cornerstone investor. GIB invested £50m into the fund in 2012, to provide finance for small-scale energy efficiency projects.

"We are pleased to back another energy efficiency project in the agricultural sector, helping to reduce business costs and cut carbon emissions.

This project is a good example of how we are working together with industry to provide innovative financial solutions for green projects of all sizes."

Bill Rogers
UK Green Investment Bank

"As a renewable energy source, biomass not only ensures our farms are more sustainable, but also delivers additional welfare benefits for the birds, through enhanced environmental conditions on farm.  Biomass also improves fuel efficiency which contributes to overall sustainability."

Alan Gibson Moy Park UK and Ireland Director
Moy Park UK and Ireland Director

"Moy Park is a long term strategic partner for our fund and we are delighted to make this investment into biomass energy centres at their farms. Sustainable distributed heating is a core focus for our fund as it displaces fossil fuel heating and reduces carbon emissions. We have excellent partners in Cofely and Land Energy, and we expect this to be followed by further energy centre contract."

Jonathan Maxwell, Jim Totty and Chris Garside 
SDCL EE Co (UK) LLP

"Cofely is at the forefront of delivering sustainable energy solutions to UK clients. This landmark project shows how implementing sustainable solutions into supply chains also drives financial bottom line impact. We look forward to further projects partnering with SDCL."

Paul Rawson
Managing Director, Cofely UK - Energy Services 

"Land Energy are delighted to be working with Moy Park and our partners to deliver this landmark "green heat" investment. It demonstrates that wood pellet biomass energy is becoming a mainstream choice for blue chip organisations. Land Energy's ESCO project capability coupled with one of the UK's largest wood pellet production plants ensures we can set up and service this type of contract reliably and efficiently over the long term."

John Westmacott
Land Energy

About the project

Location: The farms are located in Billinghay and Sleaford in Lincolnshire.
Environmental benefits:  The project will save around 3,500 tonnes of CO₂e emissions each year, equivalent to taking 1,600 cars off the road for the life of the project.
Project details:  The investment will finance the installation of 60 199 kW biomass boilers at Moy Park poultry farms.
Developer: Land Energy and Cofely. Construction will be led by Cofely who will maintain and operate the energy centres with work beginning at the end of October 2014, and to complete by March 2015.
Jobs: 12 temporary construction roles and 1.8 FTE permanent roles.
Feedstock: Sustainably sourced wood pellets from a pellet plant in Girvan, Scotland (wood sourced locally).