The benefits of installing a ground source heat pump system (GSHP) on-farm has been highlighted as more sites across the UK are embarking on such lucrative projects.
GSHP are an energy efficient way to produce heat for the farm and farmers can benefit from lower energy bills of between 30-70%.
The systems can generate up to four times the heat output for every unit of electricity input.
This makes them an extremely energy efficient way to produce heat for a farm.
For sites that use lots of heat in their operations, such as poultry farms, indoor crop growing and hay drying, a cheaper source of heat is a welcome way to cut energy costs.
Some GSHP schemes will give farmers a return on their investment within four years, whilst even a modest scheme will pay back within seven.
This is due to lower electricity bills and being able to take advantage of the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive scheme (RHI).
The environmental programme provides businesses with financial incentives to increase their use and reliance on renewable heat sources.
The deadline by which farmers and landowners can apply to the RHI programme has been extended until March 2021.
