Whisky & Solar: How Kilchoman Distillery is harnessing the power of the Sun.

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We recently installed a 50kW solar array for a distillery on Islay.   Our work regularly takes us to the Island where we work with Distilleries, Estates and Businesses on a range of renewable systems including hydro schemes (its very wet there!), wind turbines and solar arrays.

 

Kilchoman Distillery has been investigating ways of increasing the use of renewable energy in its process and operating facilities.  Early in 2022 we installed an off grid power system using solar arrays to power remote storage warehouses.  The system is scalable and will be expanded as they extend their warehousing facilities as part of their growth. The installation saved on the cost and environmental impacts of extending the grid network to the location and allows them to produce their own energy for this part of the facility.

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More recently we returned to Kilchoman, this time to look at how we could assist them in producing their own energy in the main distillery facility.   We installed a 50kW roof mounted array that could offset over 40,000 kWhr per year. 

 

Having witnessed the generation potential of their existing systems, the distillery has now asked us to look at opportunities to expand their renewable power system in 2023 to cover as much as practicably possible of their remaining electrical demands.  As part of this we will install an intelligent control system to utilise spare generation in their other processes.

 

This will be our 6th project working with distilleries across the Highlands, helping this important Scottish business sector to continue to grow and contribute to our economy, whilst aligning their energy use with our nation’s net zero ambitions.