Farm shop goes even greener

A Shropshire farm shop has doubled the amount of solar energy it creates, installed more energy efficient refrigeration and switched its maintenance team vans from diesel to electric in order to meet its ongoing commitment to protect and safeguard the environment.

Apley, on the A442 between Telford and Bridgnorth, has always pioneered the use of green energy through its businesses and the latest investment sees the Farm Shop make even more changes to become an increasingly greener company.

In addition to the Farm Shop, the site also includes a playbarn, butchery and cafe as well as the nearby wedding and events venue Stockton House - which also already have electric vehicle charging points and a wood chip heating system.

Graeme Manton, estate director at Apley, said: “Caring for the environment is an essential consideration for everyone in today’s world and something we take very seriously at Apley.

“The estate has a policy of considering the environment, community and heritage in every decision we make and we are particularly proud of our green credentials - a crucial element when it comes to protecting the environment for future generations.

“Our further investment to double the solar field has made a major difference to our power usage, and costs - the panels will account for up to 100% of our power requirements during the summer months.

“Also, thanks to a grant from the West Midlands Growth Hub, we have been able to replace the refrigeration units in the farm shop with more energy efficient ones.

“We are always looking at ways we can improve and build on our green commitments and are achieving these objectives in a range of ways, which are already resulting in significant benefits for the estate and the environment.”

Jordan Stephens, of Alt Group, said: “Apley’s continued commitment to sustainability is clear to see and it’s been a pleasure to support the estate with this latest investment. By extending their existing solar PV system and adding battery storage, the farm shop can make better use of the clean energy it generates, including outside daylight hours, reducing reliance on the grid.

“With the Marches grant deadline in mind, the system was designed and delivered within a six-week window, helping the estate move quickly while saving around 12 tonnes of COâ‚‚ each year and securing long-term environmental and financial benefits.”

The new solar panels are a 40kWp system and are expected to generate around 38,700kWh per year.

Apley has also improved its ecological standards across the estate, reducing waste, striving for net-zero carbon emissions and managing planning in an environmentally sustainable way.

Apley is the custodian of 1,500 acres of woodland, planting 7,000 new trees last year. These are key to local carbon capture and are cared for through a Forestry England management plan.

It is the custodian of a further 3,500 acres of land farmed to high environmental standards, operating a 10-year Higher Level Stewardship Agreement to improve the quality and diversity of flora, fauna and woodland and a Sustainable Farming Initiative.

“Apley Farm Shop helps to reduce our carbon footprint through the sourcing and supply of products from local producers, which significantly reduces the amount of necessary travel,” Graeme said.

“In addition, the team is also committed to increasing biodiversity and improving and extending habitats - in fact we operate a 10-year Higher Level Stewardship Agreement which is targeted at improving the quality and diversity of our flora, fauna and woodland.”