Sheffield Farm and Society Lead Local Energy Initiative

Sheffield Energy Works, a community benefit society, is partnering with the dairy farm Our Cow Molly to develop a renewable energy project. This initiative will use an anaerobic digester to convert cow slurry into electricity, which the farm will purchase back, effectively making it a customer of a community-owned energy company.

The anaerobic digestion process will not only generate electricity but also produce digestate, a nutrient-rich fertiliser. This will allow Our Cow Molly to replace imported artificial fertilisers, contributing to more sustainable farming practices. The project is expected to offset around 225,000kg of CO2 emissions each year, equivalent to removing 153 cars from the road.

Ed, the owner of Our Cow Molly, emphasizes the economic and environmental benefits of the project. He notes that methane-powered tractors, which are part of the initiative, cost significantly less to operate than diesel tractors.

The community-based approach of Sheffield Energy Works extends to its investment model. The organization has launched a community offer, allowing local residents to invest between £5 and £600,000, with each investor receiving one vote regardless of their investment size. So far, approximately £100,000 of the required £600,000 has been raised, with £235,000 needed to commence construction.

This project is part of a broader effort to rediscover Sheffield's energy production potential. Jonathan Hind, director of Sheffield Energy Works, also explores other innovative ideas, such as mine water heat recovery, to utilize the region's industrial history for sustainable energy production.