A Northamptonshire farming business has installed two wind
turbines with financial support from Barclays Business.
David Barnett Farms Ltd, based at Purston Manor in Brackley, is
a 150 year old family-run business managed by husband and wife
partnership David and Annabel Barnett.
The 1,000 acre site is made up of 750 acres of arable land for
wheat, barley and oil seed rape and two flocks of ewes providing
the well-known Purston lamb which is supplied to a number of local
butchers around the county. For the last fifteen years, the
business has also bred alpacas.
With the rising cost of electricity and fuel, David Barnett
decided it was time to look at alternative energy sources. With
£100,000 funding from Barclays Business, David employed the
services of Segen who supported the business with the planning and
installation of the two 11 kw wind turbines. The resulting
electricity produced not only supplies the grain dryer and
farmhouse with power but has also generated an additional income
for the business.
Commenting on the installation, David Barnett said: "I had been
reviewing renewable energy sources for some time and in 2010
decided the time was right to introduce a new energy source into
the farm. With the support of Segen and financial banking from
Barclays Business, we have now completed this project and I am
pleased with the two turbines which each produce around 24,000 kw
hours per year."
Steve Clayton, Barclays Business Manager said: "David Barnett
Farms is a well managed business that benefits from various farming
diversification enterprises. I was pleased to provide the financial
backing for the turbines which should be self-funding within 7/8
years."