Wed, 27 Aug 2025

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 Sun into sundaes for solar-powered ice cream maker

David Baker says 30% of his operations are powered by the sun – and he's working towards 80%.

* Somerset ice cream maker Styles Ice Cream has produced a record amount of its own power from solar panels, with 30% of its energy needs met so far.
* The company's founder, David Baker, aims to increase this to 80% by installing more solar panels on the production dairy and other buildings.
* This summer's high levels of sunshine have helped meet the target, but Baker believes that even in cloudy years, 80% can still be achieved.
* The company uses a total of 110 kilowatts of power per day for heating, pumping, stirring, and freezing, which is why it makes sense to generate its own energy.
* The solar panels have already saved the company £62,000 on its electricity bill this year, with further savings expected once the target of 80% is reached.
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