Heating a rural property

The cost of heating a rural property can be very expensive and with net zero targets in place, farmers and landowners are increasingly turning to renewable energy solutions.

The UK farming industry has always been very forward-thinking (it has had to evolve to survive) and this can now be matched in their heating/cooling and hot water needs.

Poultry farms are a good example.

They are mainly off the gas grid and rely on LPG and oil, both of which are expensive (and prone to fluctuate depending on events happening across the world – the war in Ukraine being an example) and they use a lot of carbon.

Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) are therefore the best alternative.

By replacing traditional heating systems with GSHPs, farmers can significantly reduce their carbon footprint and energy bills. Studies indicate that GSHPs can slash heating and cooling costs by up to an impressive 70%. This translates into substantial savings for farmers, empowering them to reinvest in other areas of their operations and further enhance their sustainability efforts. The underground system also means that there is no external piping which can be damaged.

Ground-source heat pumps offer a good solution for poultry units, with a low carbon footprint and the advantage that they can cool as well as warm spaces to keep a flock at the ideal temperature, whatever the weather.

Go Geothermal was recently involved in a project which saw us supplying ground source heat pumps and ancillaries at a poultry farm in Yorkshire. The farmer wanted to increase the heat in his chicken sheds to improve the welfare of his birds, which subsequently resulted in higher egg production rates.

The farmer also benefited from greater payments on his commercial Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), so it was complete win, win.

Whether its farmers, landowners, hotel, or holiday let owners or even historic properties, no building is off limits when it comes to renewable energy.