Sustainability

MACKIE’S OF SCOTLAND

Mackie’s wind turbines pass milestone

The Aberdeenshire farming business has generated more than 100 gigawatt hours of renewable energy and is now installing a £4.5m low carbon refrigeration system to cut energy use by up to 80%.

Mackie’s of Scotland has reached the sustainability landmark of generating more than 100 gigawatt hours of renewable energy through its four wind turbines.

The Aberdeenshire farming business has been generating power from its wind turbines since 2005. The turbines produce around 50% more energy than Mackie’s requires to run its business, with the surplus electricity sold into the grid as green energy for the surrounding communities to use.

On top of this, Mackie’s is currently installing a £4.5m low carbon refrigeration system that will cut the farm’s energy use by up to 80%.

Renewable energy consulting engineer and long-time collaborator on Mackie’s projects, Colin Anderson, said: “This is a tremendous feat for Mackie’s and certainly stands as one of the most influential accomplishments in renewable energy production by a private business.

“Mackie’s has been a trailblazer in renewable energy production, becoming one of the first companies to install its own wind turbine in the 1980s. It now has the capabilities to harness wind and solar energy, as well as biomass.”

He added: “More and more businesses are looking at ways in which they can produce their own renewable energy following the template set by Mackie’s.

“Scotland’s potential for renewable energy is one of the greatest in Europe, and through developing these technologies our nation’s dependence on fossil fuel-based electricity can be reduced.”

The company has been climate positive since 2007. Its renewable energy is derived from a mix of wind, solar and biomass energy that produce over 8.5 GWh of electricity each year.

Mac Mackie, Managing Director at Mackie’s of Scotland, said: “We are continuing to invest in new methods which will cut down our carbon footprint.

“Reaching 100 million kWh is a significant landmark for the farm and we are looking forward to hitting the 200 million mark in the years to come.”