Fulcrum has successfully delivered the multi-utility infrastructure to power up Greencoat Capital’s £85m greenhouse in Cambridgeshire – one of the largest growing facilities in the UK.
The company said that it overcame several challenges to successfully deliver the project, worth an estimated £5.5m.
Its engineers laid 12.8km of gas infrastructure, 2.5km of water infrastructure, and 6.5km of 33kV electric cable through villages and alongside the major A10 trunk road.
Fulcrum also collaborated with its group companies Maintech and Dunamis to construct a 33kV substation.
The substation is connected to a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Energy Centre adjacent to the greenhouse, which will power open loop heat pumps that use heat from the nearby reservoir to warm the structure.
As part of a world first, the CHP plant will also power LED lighting that will accelerate plant growth and increase year-round yields by 27%, the company said.
This renewable heating process is also supplemented by capturing CO2 produced by the gas-fired CHP Energy Centre used by the plants to further support the growth of the vegetables.
Antony Collins, chief executive of Fulcrum, said: “We were very proud to be part of this project, which is demonstrating innovation to support the decarbonisation of the agriculture sector.
“The greenhouse highlights the synergy that can exist between traditional and renewable energy resources to achieve production capabilities while reducing emissions.”
Hugh Unwin, co-head of Greencoat Capital’s Bioenergy Division, added: “Assembling an experienced and collaborative supply chain is an essential part of the delivery of this ambitious project.
“Fulcrum’s ability to be flexible and meet deadlines with the successful completion of the greenhouse’s multi-utility requirements ensured the development stayed on track and enabled our other contractors to also maintain the project’s timeline.”
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