Kitchen manufacturer Premiere goes green in Gloucester with renewable energy deal

Premiere, which manufactures British-made kitchens has signed a green energy deal with a market distributor, Urban Chain to supply its 110,000 sq ft Gloucester factory with 100 per cent renewable electricity.

Combined with its onsite biomass boiler and one MegaWatt (MW) solar array, every kilowatt (kW) of energy used by Premiere will either be self-generated or supplied through Urban Chain’s network of renewable electricity generators.

Now the new green energy contract is in place, every kitchen that rolls off the assembly line will now be made with 100 per cent renewable energy. The milestone move marks the company's commitment to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint as part of its corporate goal to be carbon neutral by 2026.

The first sustainably produced kitchen by the kitchen manufacturer was delivered to its long-standing customer, Bristol City Council. 

Rob Withey of Bristol City Council said “We are thrilled to have received the first kitchen produced with 100 per cent renewable energy from Premiere. As a council, we are committed to promoting sustainable practices and reducing our carbon footprint, and this milestone is a great step towards achieving our goals.”

Andy Barham, Managing Director of Premiere said, "As a company, we take our environmental responsibilities seriously and believe that this move will not only reduce our carbon footprint but also inspire others to consider renewable energy as a viable option for their businesses."

The kitchen manufacturer's move towards renewable energy is part of a broader strategy to operate sustainably and reduce its environmental impact. Premiere has implemented several initiatives over the years to promote sustainability, including sourcing its timber from FSC-certified forests and installing energy-efficient equipment, solar panels and electric vehicle chargepoints.

Traditionally using around 1.5 million kiloWatt hours (kWh) of electricity to produce 150,000 kitchen units annually, the switch to renewable energy will likely see a reduction of up to 300 tonnes of CO2e based on the latest UK Government emission conversion factors. 

Premiere will use Urban Chain’s peer-to-peer energy exchange which is the only trading platform for renewable energy in the UK decoupling renewable power from the wholesale market. Through its AI and blockchain technology Urban Chain profiles consumption behaviours and production patterns and secures the best match between consumers and renewable energy generators.