Bonanza Prize is solar special for growers

The National Fruit Show announced an innovative and topical Bonanza Sponsor at the Marden Fruit Show Society Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 28th March.

The M3 Solar, one of the UK’s leading solar installation Company will be the 2012 Prize Sponsor; their bespoke Solar Photovoltaic Systems help commercial clients contribute to the country’s renewable energy commitment.

Shaun Beattie, M3 Solar’s UK Sales Manager, said: “This is the first time we’ve sponsored the growers’ competition and we are excited to be supporting such an important event. The National Fruit Show is the show-piece for the UK’s fruit industry so it makes perfect sense for M3 Solar to be involved. We have forged great business relationships with several of the UK’s largest growers and have supplied them with Solar PV arrays.”

The 2012 prize is either a domestic 4kw solar array 16 panel system for a residential dwelling, which normally retails at £10,000 or for the first time they will be offering growers an alternative prize; £10,000 towards the cost of a 50kw system.

M3 Solar have become a major supplier for the fruit growing industry having installed 50kw arrays at JL Baxter & Son and at F Edmed & Sons both based in Maidstone and F W Mansfield & Sons, Canterbury. Shaun Beattie from M3 Solar explained to over eighty Marden Fruit Show Society Members and industry representatives that with the feed in tariff becoming less valuable. Growers that use the most electricity will see the best return over time, especially with the cost of electricity so high at present.

Marden Fruit Show Society Chair, Sarah Calcutt is delighted with the prize and M3 Solar’s involvement with the National Fruit Show. She said: “Over a 25 year period the total estimated value of this prize is £40,000. This incredible figure takes in to account the feed in tariff and savings on power, I believe this is by far the highest value Bonanza Prize we have ever had.”

Based in Folkestone, the Company focuses on the commercial and agricultural industry and facilitate solutions for the farming community to work towards the self-generation of clean energy. Growers traditionally have large buildings and equipment for storing and packing fruit, these processes use large amount of power with costs escalating in the past few years. M3 Solar has several industry leading products and bespoke solutions suitable for use with existing buildings or ground based solutions when the former option is unfeasible.

Shaun Beattie explained: “We have installed 9,000 panels nationwide all of which ease the cost of electricity. I believe that electricity costs will only increase over time and with the feed in tariff starting to drop growers will be in a position to use the electricity they generate from their arrays.”

Each year, the Bonanza Prize is drawn at the Show dinner and is open to all growers who enter three or more entries in classes 1-19. Their name is entered in to the draw once for every three entries gaining a minimum of 85 points.

The 2012 National Fruit Show will take place on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th October at the Kent Event Centre, Detling, Maidstone. The Show Dinner will be held at Turkey Mill, Maidstone and sponsored by Hadlow College and OrchardWorld.

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