Three quarters of Britvic’s electricity needs now met by Northamptonshire solar farm

Soft drinks business Britvic, known for popular brands like Robinsons, Tango, and J2O, has announced that 75 per cent of the power used to make Britvic soft drinks in Britain now comes from a 160-acre solar farm in Northamptonshire. 

Providing clean energy to factories in Rugby, London and Leeds, the ten-year solar power agreement covers three quarters of Britvic’s electricity needs in this country – with the aim of reaching 100 per cent solar powered operations in the near future.

The solar site, commissioned in January 2024 and operational from 1 February, will generate 3.1 Gigawatt of power, enough to power the equivalent 11,500 homes. This could cut as much as 1,113 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the drink manufacturer’s supply chain each year – the equivalent of planting 260,000 trees, the company said.

Working with renewables provider Atrato Onsite Energy, the 650,000 square metre solar installation, will scale up to produce 28GWh. This initiative is part of Britvic’s long-term commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“This is an exciting opportunity to ensure that the some of the country’s most recognisable and much-loved soft drinks are powered by renewable energy,” Sarah Webster, Britvic’s director of sustainable business, said.

“We know consumers want to buy more sustainable products, and this is another step towards reducing carbon emissions and our long-term sustainability targets.”

Sir Stephen Timms, Labour MP for East Ham – the home of Britvic’s Beckton site in East London, said: “Britvic has been a significant employer in Beckton for over fifty years. Together with last year’s investment in a state-of-the-art heat recovery system, I’m delighted this agreement will help the site and the business deliver on its important net-zero ambition.”

The project makes use of a former quarry site that is unsuitable for farming, with double-sided solar panels that use tracking devices to follow the sun, increasing efficiency by 10%. The site will provide opportunities for allowing nature to flourish – a rewilding approach that will increase biodiversity.

The announcement is the latest milestone in Britvic’s Healthier People, Healthier Planet sustainability strategy. Last year Britvic signed an agreement to produce Ballygowan Mineral Water using 100 per cent renewable electricity from wind energy. The company also launched an £8 million project to improve energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions by 50 per cent at its Beckton site.