Repowering Kirkmay Farm: greater capacity and peace of mind with Rengineers

A business that keeps growing

Kirkmay Farm is much more than a traditional arable farm. Mike Logan and his family own 650 acres of land and rent a further 400 acres.

Potatoes and wheat are grown on the land, while strawberries and other crops are grown in the polytunnels. The family also runs holiday cottages, the wedding venue The Cow Shed, storage for consumers and students and several caravan parks. “We’ve diversified quite a lot over the years.”

It is precisely this broad range of activities that increases the need for reliable, locally generated energy.
 

More capacity from the same site

There is already a 100 kW wind turbine on the farm, but it does not deliver what Mike expects. “It wasn’t running the way we hoped. We needed more power, and more reliable power.”

Through an energy consultant and a meeting at the Highland Show, Mike comes into contact with Rengineers. Together they look at repowering: making use of the existing situation to get more yield and reliability from the site. Technically, there is a solution. The permit, however, has to be arranged first.
 

Two years of waiting for one metre

In Scotland, that permit process in particular can take a long time. For Kirkmay Farm, it eventually takes around two years to obtain permission for rotor blades that are just one metre longer. “In the end that took two years, for blades that were only one metre longer. Crazy.”

Once the permit is in place, things move quickly. “Rengineers had the turbine up in no time.” The new setup is now fully operational and delivers the capacity Mike was looking for: “It works brilliantly.”
 

Wind and solar at a glance in the app

For Mike, the difference is not only in the turbine itself. Through the Rengineers app, he can easily keep track of how his energy systems are performing.

Alongside the wind turbine, the two solar installations on the farm are also visible. Even the individual strings can be monitored. If part of the installation performs below expectations, Mike sees it straight away.

Completed work and work orders can also be found in the app. “When Dave’s van is parked in the yard, I already know he’s here for a service.” That transparency gives him control without having to deal with the technology himself every day.
 

Certainty if something happens

The turbine is covered by the Rengineers Garant Contract. If the turbine is out of operation for longer than the agreed 48 hours, the loss of income is compensated.
Mike has not yet needed to use it. And that is exactly what he likes.

“Rengineers guarantees that if the turbine is down for more than 48 hours, you get your money back. So far we haven’t needed it. But it’s good to know it’s there.” For him, certainty also lies in being able to reach someone. If something happens, he knows someone is ready to help. “It’s simply peace of mind. I open the app, I see it’s running, and I know all is well. And if there’s a problem, I know someone will always answer.”
 

The next repowering is already in sight

The current turbine has only been running for a relatively short time, but Mike is already looking ahead. Because permit processes in Scotland take a long time, he is already thinking about the next repowering.

And he is clear about which partner he would prefer to go through that process with again.

“Someone always picks up the phone. You can send a WhatsApp 24/7, add a video. It works. That kind of expertise is missing at other companies.”

For Kirkmay Farm, repowering therefore means more than just extra capacity. It gives the business reliable energy, insight into performance and a partner that remains available after installation.
 

Want to get more capacity and certainty from your existing wind turbine site too?