Leading the Clean Energy Revolution
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28 WEST BRITON THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 One of our ambitions is to help local The number of people Bennamann entrepreneurs❝❝ and we’re proud to be members Ltd has working for it across its CC of Made in Cornwall who share this vision 29 multiple sites in Cornwall CornwallLive.com EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND AT WORK FOR CORNWALL AND THE ISLES OF SCILLY in association with www.cornwallislesofscillygrowthprogramme.org.uk Leading the clean energy revolution small , highly innova- breaking example of an energy tive Cornish company independent farm in Cornwall. Acalled Bennamann Ltd In collaboration with a team is doing its bit locally to help on the Penryn Campus of Exe- Cornwall Council meet its ter University and St Allen- ambition to achieve net zero based Chynoweth Farm Part- carbon by 2030, as well as radi- ners, Bennamann is taking a cally improve the sustainability revolutionary approach to and productivity of farming in maximise the use of on-site the county and help reduce renewable energy resources, in fuel poverty among residents. combination with cow Bennamann was established manure, to supply all the in 2011 by two local entrepre- energy needed for a dairy farm, neurs who shared a vision to including powering the tractor, transform the economics of taking the site off-grid, improv- renewable energy and unlock ing productivity and dramati- a local clean energy revolution. cally reducing the operational Today, the company costs for the business. employs 29 people working on The project will also demon- two sites in Mid Cornwall, a strate how biomethane surplus farm just to the west of Truro to the farm’s needs can be and a unit at the Aerohub Busi- made available in gas and liq- ness Park near Newquay, and uid form for local sale to create has a growing reputation as a an additional income stream leading-edge innovator and for the farmer, and how the sustainability focused business company’s process can with a strong ethical stand- improve the sustainability of CORNWALL point. land management through the At the core of Bennamann’s minimisation of artificial market disrupting proposition inputs such as manufactured is a suite of IP-protected hard- fertiliser. ware and software technolo- The project aims to provide a gies that enable the local pro- proven business model for a duction, marketing and roll-out of this radical new distribution of net-zero carbon approach across the county, biomethane. That is biometh- the UK and beyond, putting ane sustainably derived from Cornwall at the centre of a the anaerobic digestion of 6 Bennamann Ltd is using a revolutionary approach to maximise the use of on-site renewable energy local clean energy revolution organic waste materials at the resources at Chynoweth Farm, above worldwide. farm or country estate scale, “Our energy independent such as manure slurry and cut fuel incumbents including pet- and is typically a harmful the company is working on at farming project aligns per- grass, which will be commer- rol, diesel, heating oil and pro- greenhouse gas that contrib- the moment, which includes fectly with the Council’s ambi- cially delivered as a com- pane gas, helping reduce utes towards global warming. exploring the use of their tech- tions for a zero-carbon Corn- pressed gas or liquid fuel to energy bills for Cornwall’s resi- However, by capturing it from nology to help decarbonise wall, as well as a wide range of power lorries and tractors, heat dents and visitors alike. the material before it is emitted Cornwall Airport Newquay their environmental, social households and businesses, As Bennamann CEO and co- to the atmosphere, it can be and the Cormac vehicle fleet, is and economic goals,” says provide hot water and gas for founder, Dr Chris Mann points used as an affordable, versatile a £1.2 million research and Chris. “And without the fund- cooking, and even charge elec- out: “Biomethane is a naturally renewable zero carbon, or in development initiative part- ing from the ERDF it simply tric vehicles. occurring gas that is produced the case of manure better than funded by the European would not have happened, it All at prices to customers when organic matter such as zero carbon, fuel instead.” Regional Development Fund could not have come at a better that undercut the current fossil farmyard manure breaks down Among the range of projects (ERDF) to establish a ground- time for the county and us”. Ice-cream maker seeks to put topping on its best year yet AN ice-cream maker is looking for a export contract to China, agreed a col- Western Morning News Business will reopen in April. Mr Jeffs said: “The repeat of 2019 after the 30th anniver- laboration with celebrity culinary Awards. quality of our dairy and non-dairy ice sary year turned out to be a bumper 12 entrepreneur Levi Roots, launched a Sales director David Jeffs said: “We’re cream is of course key to everything we months. new ice cream in partnership with the really pleased with our year-end results do. That’s why all the awards we’ve Callestick Farm, located halfway St Piran professional cycling team and and are looking forward to another 12 been winning are so important and between Truro and Newquay, has won a raft of awards. months of sustained expansion. why we are committed to creating new revealed that last year was the compa- These included prestigious product “2019 proved a landmark year for us lines and new great tastes – alongside ny’s most successful to date. accolades in the Great Taste, Great in many ways and there are more very our existing favourites of course. I’m Not only did the ice-cream manufac- British Food, Chef’s Choice and Taste exciting developments in the pipeline.” very confident that Callestick Farm’s turer achieve a 24.8% increase in turn- Of The West awards and being named Last year also saw the refurbishment fourth decade will prove ever more COMMERCE over, it also secured a major five-year Family Business of the Year in the of Callestick’s on-site tearoom, which momentous.” 28 CORNISH GUARDIAN WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020 One of our ambitions is to help local The number of people Bennamann entrepreneurs❝❝ and we’re proud to be members Ltd has working for it across its CC of Made in Cornwall who share this vision 29 multiple sites in Cornwall CornwallLive.com EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND AT WORK FOR CORNWALL AND THE ISLES OF SCILLY in association with www.cornwallislesofscillygrowthprogramme.org.uk Leading the clean energy revolution small , highly innova- breaking example of an energy tive Cornish company independent farm in Cornwall. Acalled Bennamann Ltd In collaboration with a team is doing its bit locally to help on the Penryn Campus of Exe- Cornwall Council meet its ter University and St Allen- ambition to achieve net zero based Chynoweth Farm Part- carbon by 2030, as well as radi- ners, Bennamann is taking a cally improve the sustainability revolutionary approach to and productivity of farming in maximise the use of on-site the county and help reduce renewable energy resources, in fuel poverty among residents. combination with cow Bennamann was established manure, to supply all the in 2011 by two local entrepre- energy needed for a dairy farm, neurs who shared a vision to including powering the tractor, transform the economics of taking the site off-grid, improv- renewable energy and unlock ing productivity and dramati- a local clean energy revolution. cally reducing the operational Today, the company costs for the business. employs 29 people working on The project will also demon- two sites in Mid Cornwall, a strate how biomethane surplus farm just to the west of Truro to the farm’s needs can be and a unit at the Aerohub Busi- made available in gas and liq- ness Park near Newquay, and uid form for local sale to create has a growing reputation as a an additional income stream leading-edge innovator and for the farmer, and how the sustainability focused business company’s process can with a strong ethical stand- improve the sustainability of CORNWALL point. land management through the At the core of Bennamann’s minimisation of artificial market disrupting proposition inputs such as manufactured is a suite of IP-protected hard- fertiliser. ware and software technolo- The project aims to provide a gies that enable the local pro- proven business model for a duction, marketing and roll-out of this radical new distribution of net-zero carbon approach across the county, biomethane. That is biometh- the UK and beyond, putting ane sustainably derived from Cornwall at the centre of a the anaerobic digestion of 6 Bennamann Ltd is using a revolutionary approach to maximise the use of on-site renewable energy local clean energy revolution organic waste materials at the resources at Chynoweth Farm, above worldwide. farm or country estate scale, “Our energy independent such as manure slurry and cut fuel incumbents including pet- and is typically a harmful the company is working on at farming project aligns per- grass, which will be commer- rol, diesel, heating oil and pro- greenhouse gas that contrib- the moment, which includes fectly with the Council’s ambi- cially delivered as a com- pane gas, helping reduce utes towards global warming. exploring the use of their tech- tions for a zero-carbon Corn- pressed gas or liquid fuel to energy bills for Cornwall’s resi- However, by capturing it from nology to help decarbonise wall, as well as a wide range of power lorries and tractors, heat dents and visitors alike.