Cornish Orchards has switched to fully renewable energy at its cider farm in Duloe, south east Cornwall.
The move had resulted in a 94% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions without offsetting, the Asahi-owned cidermaker said.
To achieve renewable production, Cornish Orchards has installed a combined air and water heat pump system to replace the diesel boiler used to generate hot water. The heat pump is powered by electricity bought directly from a solar farm in Somerset.
This switch accounted for the vast majority of the reduction in carbon emissions, Cornish Orchards said. The remaining fossil fuels were eliminated after the supplier switched out the diesel used for farming equipment to to hydrotreated vegetable oil, a plant-based biofuel.
“We are delighted to demonstrate how a small rural farm can show innovative leadership in renewable technology use and lead the way on sustainability,” said Sam Goodenough, sustainability manager at Asahi UK. “The team has worked hard over the years to make the farm a haven for nature, from woodland planting to organic certification at the site, and now we have applied that same mindset to our cidermaking.
“We’ve learnt a lot on the journey, and we are excited to be taking this new leap forward in sustainable cider production.”
The Cornish Orchards team is also investing behind projects aimed at boosting the local ecosystem. It has planted four acres of woodland on its farm, helping to capture seven tonnes of CO2 a year, with another 21 acres planned.
It has also created a wetland to clean water and provide a new habitat for different species, including building homes for bees, and partnered with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust to help boost pollinator populations.
Cornish Orchards has grown value sales by 12.4% in the off-trade in the last 12 months, outpacing the wider cider category which is up by 3.6% [NIQ 52 we 17 May 2025].
No comments yet