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Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
Business
Sion Barry

West Wales farm moving off grid with funding support from Triodos Bank

A West Wales couple has secured securing funding from Triodos Bank UK to expand and take their farm off-grid.

Geraint and Christine Thomas, who run the 80-acre Bargoed Farm in Llwyncelyn, Aberaeron, established a camping and caravan site in 2016, providing over 50 serviced pitches

Their diverse business also includes the Moody Cow farm shop and bistro – selling locally sourced food and drink. An indoor children’s play centre (Moody Calf) was added in August 2021 and in January they launched their Ysgubor wedding and events venue. A coffee and wine bar, Posh Cow is due to open shortly.

The support from Triodos will fund new solar panels and battery storage, allowing Bargoed Farm to source and store) the majority of its power from renewable energy, enabling it to off-grid and keep energy costs down.

It will also help to finance the conversion of farm outbuildings into self-contained holiday accommodation, due to be ready for next year.

Mr Thomas said “Our aspirations to reach net zero are an important part of our business plans and we’re excited to have the opportunity to take a step closer to this by increasing our solar energy supply. We’re set in a beautiful part of the Welsh countryside, and we hope our new accommodation will help encourage people to visit the area and enjoy everything it has to offer.”

Sarah Johnson, relationship manager for Wales at Triodos Bank UK, said: “Working with a proactively sustainable organisation like Bargoed Farm is an ideal fit with our mission and values and we’re delighted to support its efforts to achieve net zero and to expand its business further.”

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