Frank Rudd & Sons is a family-run producer of cherry vine and plum tomatoes, generating around 1,500 tonnes of produce every year. Based in Over Peover, near Knutsford, the business was started in 1939 and is now run by the third generation of the Rudd family.
Their greenhouses use an innovative growing system, with suspended grow bags full of nutrient seed. This means they’re able to grow tomatoes for 11 months of the year – and also means they have a continual need for heat.
What’s more, when they constructed new greenhouses – going from 9 acres of glass to 15 acres – Frank Rudd & Sons needed an energy partner who could support their increase in demand.
Centrica Business Solutions originally partnered with Frank Rudd & Sons in 2017 to install a new Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit to power their operations. When Frank Rudd & Sons began to expand their greenhouses in 2023, they needed to install a second CHP to meet their increased demand. Once again, they invited Centrica Business Solutions to support.
We designed and installed a turnkey 1.5MW CHP system to power their production processes. The CHP generates heat and carbon dioxide, which are both fed into their greenhouses and are vital components to the growing process. The system also generates electricity, which Frank Rudd & Sons sells back to the grid through an export agreement – giving the business a significant ongoing revenue stream.
We’ve been very impressed with Centrica Business Solutions. They have been very helpful at every stage of the project. Energy is the single biggest cost of growing our produce - the new CHP has created a high value income stream for us, while protecting us from the volatility of the grid. Chris Rudd, Managing Director, Frank Rudd & sons
Centrica Business Solutions will also deliver a 10-year Operations and Maintenance (O&M) service, to maximise the performance of the CHP and ensure Frank Rudd & Sons get the best possible return on their investment.
Under a Premier Plus agreement, our team of expert O&M engineers will ensure the system remains safe and compliant; and will continuously assess ways to improve operation and efficiency. This will secure the lifespan of the unit, and maximise efficiency and lifetime savings.
This energy solution has provided Frank Rudd & Sons with a lucrative new revenue stream, while delivering the heat and carbon dioxide that’s so critical to their production processes.
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