THE Lakes Free Range Egg Company has invested £2 million in technology to enable them to become a 'self-sustaining electrical island'.

The Lakes reached carbon neutral (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) in 2015 and has since continued to significantly reduce their Scope 3 carbon emissions.

With the latest £2 million investment in clean energy, they can now also operate 100 per cent grid free, with plans in place to become net zero by 2040.

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is the world’s most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standard and categorises emissions as Scope 1, 2 and 3. These three key measurements set out to help monitor success on the road to Net Zero and account for the varying emissions a company creates by its own operation and by its wider value chain impact.

Making the most of their opportunities to build a sustainable future David Brass, Chief Executive Officer said “A range of on-site renewable energy sources have been incorporated into our operations, providing in excess of 1,600kw power and allowing us to reach carbon neutral (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) and significantly reduce our Scope 3 carbon emissions.

“Our energy is produced from a combination of ground source heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar panels which can provide 100% of The Lakes’ packing centre and office electricity requirements. To ensure we can operate as an electrical island, energy sources are backed up to battery storage - guaranteeing a constant supply of electricity availability when natural light is too low to generate solar power.

“The debate around solar panels on agricultural land continues, but at The Lakes, around 1150 KW can be produced by the solar panels. These are situated on the packing centre roof, on hen housing roofs and also in the wildflower meadows that hen’s access for ranging. The solar panels on ranges are multi-purpose; in addition to creating power, they also provide hens and wildlife with shelter from the sun (and rain) and creating wildflower meadows has also attracted more insects and pollinators which is a win win for the environment too.”

Heat for the packing centre, reception and offices, is generated through use of the on-site boreholes and biomass boiler system. Contributing to their drive to circularity, the biomass boiler is fed using biomass harvested from trees planted on hen ranges. Any excess heat energy is exported to local homes.

Jane Brass, Sustainability Manager at The Lakes explains “Our whole sustainable approach brings us economic and environmental benefits. Economically, our clean energy helps us manage our operating costs. We are not subject to market price fluctuations, therefore not reliant on the grid and fluctuating market prices.

“From an environmental standpoint, creating clean energy means we can pack over 1 million eggs a day and still maintain our journey on the road to Net Zero.

“We have cut our on-farm scope 3 emissions by reducing the level of soy in the feed ration for our farms and those of our producers. There are exciting initiatives in the pipeline including more investment in technology innovation, collaborations with our producers, and looking at regenerative agricultural practices that will increase our on-site carbon sequestration.”

Recently, the Lakes won a Great Taste Award for their Laid With Love brand of free-range eggs. David said: “We have been developing the Laid With Love Brand since 2012 when we launched it at Taste Cumbria, with two pence per dozen sold donated to cancer research. Our hens are fed on a natural diet that is enriched with lutein from marigold extract it is this which gives the eggs their rich golden colour and great taste. We are delighted that we now have it listed in local independent shops and national food retailers including Tesco’s, Booths, Sainsbury's and more recently in Asda, it has all helped us raise thousands of pounds for cancer research.”

Commenting on the quality, the judging panel said “The eggs are fresh tasting and a joy to eat. They have a deep golden yolk with a good depth of flavour. The yolk has a deep orange with a lovely sheen and buttery on the palate. This is a very pleasantly flavoured egg”.