Larrère: sustainable culture is also energy production

The family group Larrère cultivates more than 1,300 hectares spread over 9 farms, in reasoned agriculture (crop rotation, fallow). Under the influence of its organic production (700 hectares)  the Larrère group tests new concept of production, such as organic cultivation in photovoltaic greenhouse, which leads it to become an energy producer.

The Larrère group is energetically independent. Since 2010, the installation of 8,000 m2 of photovoltaic panels allowed to achieved 1,090 MWh / year (equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 170 households). Then, a bio-methanation unit allows both to recycle output gaps and to generate 2,450 MWh electricity / year (the annual consumption of 410 households) and 3500 MWh thermal/year (equivalent to the annual thermal consumption 265 households). The annual savings CO2 amounted to 2,000 tons (14 million km in diesel car).

The Larrère group produces carrots (20 000 tons per year), turnips, potatoes, cabbages (including the famous Choudou, the only cabbage dish so digestible that it there is no need whiten it). Packaged on site, vegetables are shipped the same day of harvest.

source : les echos, larrere