William Morfoot Ltd has recently completed another specialist infrastructure project for a long-standing client in Norfolk, helping to deliver a new 2.4MW solar farm and battery storage installation for an innovative mixed farming business.
The farm incorporates arable, poultry and other enterprises and has, for many years, been at the forefront of innovation within the agricultural sector – continually looking at new technologies and more efficient and sustainable ways of operating.
The latest investment continues that approach. Once fully operational, the new solar and battery storage system is expected to enable the business to become approximately 80% self-sufficient in green energy – an incredible achievement for a substantial and energy-intensive farming enterprise.
A long-standing commitment to renewable energy
The solar development is the latest chapter in the farm’s long-standing commitment to renewable energy. The business has previously gained national recognition for its pioneering use of biomass technology, with specialist boilers burning poultry litter generated by the farming operation to produce heat and hot water for its poultry sheds.
This innovative approach enables the business to utilise what would otherwise be a waste product as a valuable source of renewable energy, while eliminating the requirement for LPG gas to heat the poultry enterprise. The addition of 2.4MW of solar generation and battery storage takes that philosophy another significant step forward.
Delivering the infrastructure
William Morfoot was appointed to undertake a package of specialist groundworks and civils works associated with the development. Our work included extensive trenching and excavation, installation of cable routes and ducts, works around the poultry buildings and battery storage equipment, and subsequent ground reinstatement.
A particularly important element involved locating and safely crossing multiple existing buried utilities. Working within an established and operational agricultural site required careful planning and controlled excavation to ensure the new infrastructure could be installed safely without compromising existing services.
Showcasing the diversity of our team
The project is also a great example of the dynamic and diverse skillset within the William Morfoot team. While land drainage and water management remain at the heart of our business, our capabilities extend into specialist civils, groundworks, cable infrastructure, utility crossings and complex rural construction projects.
Having this breadth of knowledge and capability within our team allows us to support clients with increasingly diverse requirements, respond effectively to challenges encountered on site and, ultimately, help ensure that projects are delivered safely, on time and to the standards required.
We are delighted to have played our part in the latest investment by a valued long-standing client – and in a project that demonstrates just how effectively modern agriculture and renewable energy can work together.
