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Mackie's
ice cream is made with fresh milk,
cream and 100% renewable energy.
Ice cream manufacturers
Mackie's of Scotland have their own energy supply - three Vestas
V52 wind turbines - referred to as "Mackie's", "Ice"
and "Cream". Each of these graceful machines have a 45
metre turbine and three 25 metre blades on the turning propeller
and capacity to produce 850KW of power - so a total capacity at
the farm of 2.5 MW.
Wind
turbines are not a new sight on the farm, Mac's father Maitland
previously installed a smaller turbine which powered the business's
former piggery unit until 1997. That was one of the first grid connected
wind turbines in the UK but did not have a very large output.
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Mac
with turbines
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"Wind
energy is renewable, economic,
safe, and good for the environment. " Managing Director Mac
says "We are keen to find new ways to cut our energy consumption
alongside our other environmental projects. The investment in wind
turbines makes good sense for our business because our consumers
have told us that it is important for them to know that our ice
cream is made with 100% renewable energy. It also makes good financial
sense, we are a rural business which needs significant power levels
and will continue to need more as we grow. "
The
ice cream tubs show a wind turbine icon with the declaration "made
with 100% renewable energy". This is important to Mackie's
and is part of their ongoing commitment to have a carbon neutral
site and become the greenest company in Britain.
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rainbow
over turbine
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Scotland
is the windiest country in Europe and wind turbines are forecast
to generate electricity for approximately 80% of the time. This
wind turbine starts making electricity with wind of around 10 miles
per hour and only has to shut down in gale conditions. In the first
year, the wind turbine has worked very well and has provided over
half of the electricity requirements for Mackie's - impressive when
our requirement is almost 3,000,000 KWH a year.
Mackie's
surplus energy is sold to Good Energy, a supplier of 100% renewable
electricity sourced from 300 wind, small-scale hydro and solar power
producers like Mackie's. Good Energy supply to homes and businesses
in England, Wales and Scotland and offers a way for households to
cut their CO2 pollution by up to 1/3rd.
Juliet Davenport, Chief Executive of Good Energy gives her views
of the new wind turbines:
"It's
great that Mackie's will soon be generating all the renewable energy
they need to run their business. Any electricity they have spare
Good Energy will be glad to take on! Providing products like Mackie's
ice-cream that are carbon neutral in their production gives consumers
a choice - they can choose to buy products that are helping to protect
our environment. The way Mackie's makes ice-cream makes a big difference."
Some
Wind Energy facts
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Government
target for renewable energy is 10% by 2010 and 15% by 2015. |
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A
typical 850KW turbine (like Mackies') could provide the amount
of power used by 500 homes or to boil 28 million pints of water
or run a computer for 7 million hours - that's 810 years. |
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80%
of public are in favour of wind energy - several studies reported
by BWEA |
Wind
website links
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