Cornish Scrumpy Company Limited (CSCL) is to receive £588,000 from the Shared Prosperity Fund to create an 850kw solar farm to provide power for their business operations as part of ambitions to migrate to 100% renewable energy over the next 5 years.
The family-run business near Newquay already generates 18% of its energy from an onsite wind turbine. The addition of the new solar farm will increase their renewable generation capacity to 75%. Five acres of unused land will be transformed to provide the infrastructure for the new solar farm.
The Shared Prosperity Fund grant, which is subject to the solar farm project obtaining planning permission, will support investment into renewable energy and allow CSCL to take advantage of new market opportunities, increase competitiveness, recruit two additional employees and safeguard 10 roles over the next three years.
Joe Healey, Managing Director, Trading at Cornish Scrumpy Company Limited said:
“As a second generation, proudly independent Cornish family, it is our ambition to celebrate 100 years of business. Sustainability is therefore at the heart of everything we do. Having recently completed a large expansion of our processing facility here on the farm, this solar project, part funded by SPF, will reduce our onsite CO2 emissions by around 170 tonnes a year. Together with our existing turbine, we should be able to generate around 75% of the energy we need to operate. Combining this with the 1500 trees we planted in January 2023, and our new rainwater harvesting system on our roof and apple bays (when not being used for pressing!), 2023 will be a transformational year in our journey towards achieving our long-term sustainability goals”.
By migrating to renewable energy, the business hopes to mitigate against increases in production costs due to rising energy bills and keep the cost of their products down. Cornish Scrumpy Company Limited (CSCL), famous for its ‘Rattler’ Cornish Cyder, produce and sell a range of award-winning cyder, brandy, whisky, gin, country fruit wines, apple juice and more recently, sparkling wine from their newly planted Vineyard on the outskirts of Truro.
This project has received £588,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund as part of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth’s Strategic Enterprise and Research and Development Infrastructure programme. The aim of this programme is to allow local businesses to grow and fulfil their potential while increasing their productivity and competitiveness.
Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for economy, said:
“Investments in green energy technology and new infrastructure are central to our Good Growth ambitions. We want to see businesses in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly using the Shared Prosperity Fund to increase their productivity and unlock more jobs and opportunities for residents.
"I’m pleased that this funding will allow CSCL to transition to 100% renewable energy sooner than planned and capitalise on new market opportunities.”
Funding opportunities through the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Fund are open to all organisations including private sector businesses, community or voluntary organisations and public sector groups.