Making the Most of the Sunshine at Darts Farm ☀️

It’s no secret that the sun has been shining for almost two months straight. Whilst our crops may be feeling thirsty, our solar panels have been absolutely thriving.

Here at Darts, we’ve been harnessing the power of the sun since 2012, when we first installed Sungift Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels on one of our rooftops. Since then, we have continued to expand our solar generation, with panels now covering nearly all of our rooftops.

This Summer’s weather definitely feels like a record-breaker, and our solar panels have certainly earnt their keep. In July alone, they generated a whopping 56,080 kWh of energy. That’s equivalent to planting around 294 trees, or enough energy to brew approximately 496,283 cups of tea!

Our solar panels are just one part of a much bigger sustainable picture. We’re constantly looking at ways that we can make better use of resources we already have. Our initiatives are designed to work together, creating a clever circular system where energy and excess resources are captured, re-used and put to good use.

Our circular system starts with the sun. Our solar panels capture clean energy from sunlight and convert it directly into electricity which is used across Darts Farm, powering the fridges and counters that keep your cheese, meat and favourite treats chilled. Whilst these fridges and freezers are essential for keeping produce fresh, they do produce excess heat which is typically wasted. Here, our 'heat recovery’ system captures the warm air, and puts it to good use, heating our water.

The story doesn’t stop there. Crucially, this water is sourced from our own deep underground borehole, allowing us to access groundwater from beneath our farm. Unlike mains water, which needs to be treated and transported through large networks of pipes, groundwater is stored beneath the surface, from rainfall filtering down through layers of soil and rock over time. This means we make use of a naturally occurring local water resource. Particularly during the drier summer months, we are mindful that our groundwater is a precious resource and having our own borehole doesn’t mean we use water without consideration. Responsible water use remains an integral part of sustainability at Darts Farm and we make the most out of every drop.

For us, sustainability is about looking at what we already have and finding innovative ways to make it go further. So, whilst we may be hoping for a little rain for our crops, we’ll certainly be making the most out of every ray of sunshine!

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Darts Farm

Harnessing the Sun: How Our Sustainable Circular System Works

Posted in The Farm on 18 Aug 2026

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