We have been heating the buildings and hot water at Bore Place with a wood chip boiler since 2008, installed PV panels on our buildings in 2011 and a wind turbine in 2012.
The next phase of our journey is to increase the number of PV panels we have to generate more of the electricity that we use, as well as install battery storage to ensure we can better use the energy we generate on-site. Our aim is to become a microgrid so that electricity generated on-site is used here, with the goal of us becoming self-sufficient.
We want to find new ways of doing things so that we can influence others and demonstrate the viability of this commitment, in particular to the farming community.
We hope that visitors to the Bore Place estate will be inspired by our journey and seek out their own ways to reduce their carbon impact.
Timeline of Renewables at Bore Place
2008
70kW wood chip boiler installed to supply heat and hot water to Bore Place House
2011
50kW Solar PV system fitted to main cowshed
2012
11 kW Wind Turbine installed
2012
2 x 26kW wood pellet boilers and solar thermal systems installed in the Middle Yard
2015
2 x 150kW Wood chip boilers and associated district heating scheme installed to provide heat and hot water to all main properties
2022
RCEF decarbonisation project and carbon footprint project launched
Bore Place Electricity Decarbonisation Plans
- Install 300kW of solar PV to add to existing 50kW of PV and 11kW wind turbine
- Install battery storage – to better utilise power generated and possibly provide grid services
- Install electric vehicle chargers in car park extension
- Convert site to a microgrid