Life Sciences and Energy

Silver Hill Foods and Vayu sign €1m green energy deal

By Business & Finance
07 April 2014
Vayu/Silver Hill Foods deal

Irish energy supplier Vayu has signed a renewable electricity deal with Silver Hill Foods, one of Ireland’s most successful producers of duck products.

Valued at €1m over two years, the agreement will see Vayu supply Silver Hill Foods with 100% green electricity to meet its year-round energy requirements as it continues to expand into new export markets.

Based in Emyvale, Co. Monaghan, Silver Hill Foods processes over 3.5 million ducks each year for a range of quality artisan food products. All aspects of duck production are owned and controlled by Silver Hill Foods, from breeding, egg production, hatching and selection to processing and cooking. It also operates a feather plant for production of duck down products, including duvets and pillows.

Silver Hill Foods exports 80% of its products to the UK and continental Europe and recently embarked on an ambitious growth plan aimed at doubling its turnover over the next five years. It is expanding its range of products this year in markets such as in Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium and Netherlands. This will be followed in 2015 by expansion into the UAE, South Africa, Sweden, Iceland and Spain.

The deal provides Silver Hill Foods with direct access to wholesale electricity prices for its three sites in Co. Monaghan, allowing the Company to achieve significant savings compared with traditional fixed rate tariffs in the market. As part of a fully managed agreement, Vayu will provide Silver Hill Foods with the procurement tools and advice to purchase energy at the best price available in the market.

The ability to source 100% green energy for its growing operations was a critical consideration for Silver Hill Foods, which applies the concept of Best Available Techniques (BAT) across all its operations to achieve cleaner production, minimise waste, conserve natural resources and increase energy efficiency. Vayu is the only energy Company in Ireland to supply all its customers with electricity 100% attributed to renewable sources.  This means that the carbon footprint of Vayu’s customers is zero in terms of the electricity they consume.

Stuart Steele, managing firector of Silver Hill Foods, said: “As a food producing business we are very focused on reducing our impact on the environment across all aspects of our business. This is particularly important for us as we continue to expand. Our partnership with Vayu will help us reduce our environmental footprint even further by providing us with green electricity with a 100% renewable rating. Not only does the deal provide us with direct access to sustainable electricity at wholesale market prices, but we are partnering with a Company that has demonstrated a deep understanding and expertise of Ireland’s energy market.”

Barry Murphy, energy specialist at Vayu said: “As the emphasis on environmental sustainability grows, access to renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly important for Irish companies seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. This goes hand-in-hand with cost competitiveness as businesses seek more effective ways to manage their energy procurement while achieving substantial savings. We see this as a growing part of our business as companies move away from basic products offered traditionally by utilities traditionally and seek out suppliers willing to take the time to understand their particular requirements.”