Flicking the Switch on Potato Storage - Energy Consumption and Potatos in the UK

The British Potato Council state that in Great Britain alone, between 3.5 and 4 million tonnes of potatos are stored every year. The recent increases in electricity costs coupled with losses in energy from the stores are impacting growers’ profitability. The Council has published a study that indicates the potato storage industry could make an estimated £11 million saving just by fixing energy loss alone. So big is the issue that the industries are conducting their own tests and trials and have been doing so since 2008.

Post-harvest energy costs are estimated to be as high as £35 million per season across the industry. Driven by the recent energy price hikes, it’s no wonder growers will be keen to take steps and quick fixes to save money. Technology such as infrared cameras are now being used to identify air leaks, just like insulating a home, there are big savings to be made plugging the gaps in storage. The heat from the sun, warming the building is another factor that costs more seasonally, keeping the crop cool in storage. Full roof re-insulation is viewed as costly, but particular problem areas can be remedied smartly looking at the infra-red results to target the best places to insulate further.

Technology can be brought in make further savings, variable speed fans get top billing by delivering up to 50% savings on fuel consumption, reducing humidity and weight of the crop too. Research by Southern Solar on the paybacks and effects of installing Commercial Solar on Agricultural buildings has shown that stores where consumption of electricity is high, even greater savings are possible with Commercial Solar. For those without the capital to invest in their own Solar PV, by working with a Commercial Solar Investor and setting up a Power Purchase Agreement, growers can now gain the benefits of cheap low carbon electricity, with no upfront costs, the agreement with the investors provides a guaranteed cheaper tariff for electricity and a roof covered with Solar PV, this ensures profit margins can be increased further for the industry. There is an added benefit too, as Walkers have just discovered, the Carbon Footprint of a typical bag of crisps is around 75g CO2, by implementing Solar at the storage stage, offsetting fossil fuel sourced electricity, the carbon footprint of the crop reduces something which is becoming more important to the consumer and industry alike.