Kirkcaldy business completes installation of 700 solar panels at its HQ

Fife Creamery invested £230,000 in the project at its warehouse and innovation hub at Randolph Industrial Estate, Kirkcaldy.

The work was carried out by Scottish company, Forster Group, and it was the company’s biggest project to date for a client in the food and drink industry. It installed the energy storage battery at the hub, as well as providing infrastructure so additional battery storage can be added in the future. The roof-mounted installation - completed by an in just eight days - will help Fife Creamery save over £3.1 million in energy costs over the next 20-plus years.

As part of its drive to meet net zero targets, Fife Creamery is focused on reducing its carbon footprint. Since becoming operational in May, the first phase of the installation at the firm’s Innovation Hub - which serves as a training centre with a commercial kitchen - has seen its energy bills reduce by two thirds.

David Simpson, operations director, said: “With a target of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, we recognised the importance of investing in renewable energy solutions that support the environment and resonate with customers who seek to partner with sustainable businesses.

“We are an independent, family-owned business and chose to invest over £200,000 to support our broader sustainability strategy. With a high proportion of energy used for refrigeration, we were determined to secure the largest solar installation we could, ensuring that the renewable energy generated would directly offset our substantial energy consumption. It’s incredibly exciting to already be seeing positive results.”

David Anderson, design engineer at Forster Group, said: “It was a pleasure to support the team at Fife Creamery with this significant solar and battery storage installation. This project was one of our biggest to date and proves the point that solar energy solutions can have a transformative impact on energy-intensive sectors like food and drink manufacturing, distribution and refrigeration.

“With many businesses looking to divert away from traditional energy sources, solar power will have an important role to play in supporting the transition to net zero. We look forward to continuing to help businesses like Fife Creamery meet their carbon reduction goals.”