Innovation at Raynham
Right from its very beginnings, the Raynham Estate has been a champion of innovation and an early adopter of cutting edge technologies; be they architectural, agricultural or scientific.
Renewable Energy
There is only one planet and the Raynham Estate has long recognised the importance of protecting it. A commitment to renewable energy is a key part of the approach to reducing the Estate’s carbon footprint and ensuring that it continues to embrace innovative technologies.
Solar Farm
Powering over 12,000 homes
Our vision for renewable energy at Raynham began in 2012.
Built on the former Royal Air Force West Raynham Airbase, the Solar Farm represented the biggest PV plant operational in the UK at the date of its completion in early 2015 and is currently leased to Bluefield Partners LLP.
It currently serves over 12,000 homes with electricity as well as providing the neighbouring communities with funds for local projects.
Anaerobic Digestor
Helping to heat over 4,000 homes
In 2015 we commissioned and built the AD Plant; Corbiere Renewables which generates biogas produced from agricultural crops and farm waste in an ‘Anaerobic Digester’. The AD plant generates 550 cubic meters of biogas per hour which is cleaned and injected into the mains gas supply to heat and energise homes, and an organic fertiliser by-product. Some disagree with the use of crops for energy rather than food, but we now operate a seven-year cropping cycle on the farm to incorporate those crops required, lengthening our rotation and making it more diverse.
The by-product of the AD process is called Digestate, and we apply this to the land as an organic fertiliser which has not only increased the productivity of all crops, but it improves the health and structure of the soil.
Over a seven-year period, we built up the AD business to a very successful position and in June 2022 we sold Corbiere Renewables Ltd to Bio Capital. Bio Capital will operate the AD plant and will continue to work in partnership with the Raynham Estate for the provision of feedstock and utilisation of the organic-fertiliser produced by the plant.
Farming
Centuries of innovation
Raynham Estate has been known as an innovator in agriculture for centuries and as guardians of the land the Townshend family is committed to enhancing the environment and farming in a sustainable way.
The Estate continues to adopt innovative advances in agricultural technology.
