Renewable Energy Farm in Herefordshire
Where Food and Power Grow Together
Where food and power grow together. Ditton Farm is one of a small number of UK farms producing both food and energy — on the same land, with the same purpose. We operate a fully integrated renewable energy system, led by our on-site anaerobic digestion (AD) plant and supported by widespread solar infrastructure.
Anaerobic Digestion
We convert crop waste into clean power, heat, and natural fertiliser — closing the loop and cutting emissions.
Solar Infrastructure
Solar panels keep our cold stores, grain drying, and workshops running on renewable energy — day in, day out.
Smarter Farming
Clean energy drives low-carbon farming — boosting resilience and reducing the footprint of every crop we grow.
Closing the Loop with On-Farm Energy
Anaerobic Digestion
Our on-site anaerobic digestion (AD) facility lies at the heart of our circular farming system. It processes maize grown within our rotation, potato and root crop waste, straw and biomass residues, and offtakes from neighbouring farms.
This process includes:
• Growing for national food supply chains
• Producing renewable energy
• Delivering biodiversity uplift
• Testing new regenerative methods in real-world conditions
The result is a closed-loop system that reduces emissions, improves soil health, and replaces fossil fuels — all while making smarter use of farm by-products.
Solar to Support Smart Storage
Solar Power
Alongside our anaerobic digestion system, we’ve installed a network of solar PV panels across farm rooftops and sheds to power our day-to-day operations.
These panels supply renewable electricity to:
• Cold stores
• Grain Drying
• Machinery Workshops
• Day to day farm operations
We use real-time energy monitoring to balance generation, demand, and storage — with surplus power exported to the grid.
Reducing Carbon with Biomass Heat
Biomass & Wood Chip Boilers
We operate 11 biomass boilers on-site, providing 7.5 kWh of renewable heat, supported by our 0.5 MW anaerobic digestion (AD) plant. Fed with recycled wood, timber, and rape straw, these systems significantly reduce fossil fuel use, support the circular economy, and complement our wider energy strategy. Backed by the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), our biomass and AD setup play a key role in cutting emissions and improving energy resilience.
This process includes:
• Producing renewable heat from low-carbon fuel
• Replacing oil and gas in key buildings
• Reducing emissions across our infrastructure
• Reinforcing circular resource use across the farm
Smart Energy, Smart Agronomy
Our renewable infrastructure feeds directly into how we farm:
– Reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions
– Lowering the embodied carbon of every tonne of produce
– Supporting long-term commercial resilience for buyers
We’re farming food and energy together — not in conflict, but in concert.