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There is something quietly encouraging happening at Kiln Farm.

Phil and Sarah, the new tenant farmers, bring with them not just energy but a thoughtful sense of what farming here could become. On a small island, sustainability is never a distant idea, it is bound up in everyday life. It’s about how we produce food, how we use energy, and how we look after the land that supports us.

Farming has always been part of Alderney’s identity, but it is also, increasingly, part of its future resilience. Like many sectors, though, it faces real pressures. Rising fuel costs, ageing equipment, and the challenge of making a viable living in a small and exposed economy all weigh heavily. None of this is unique to Alderney, but it is felt more acutely here.  That is where the island’s energy transition begins to intersect with something very practical.

Our role at Alderney Electricity is not just to keep the system running day to day, but to think about how we support the island over the longer term. In that context, working alongside farmers like Phil and Sarah feels both sensible and necessary, finding ways to reduce operating costs, improve efficiency, and, where possible, open up new opportunities.

Some of this is straightforward: using energy more efficiently, modernising equipment over time, and reducing reliance on imported fuel where it makes sense to do so. These are not dramatic changes, but they are the kind that add up.

Alongside that, there are more forward-looking ideas beginning to take shape. One we are exploring is whether renewable generation can sit comfortably alongside farming without compromising it.  Rooftop solar on existing barns is an obvious example, making use of space that is already there, without taking valuable land out of production. It is not without its complications. The condition of the buildings, the need for investment, storage, and the capacity of the local network all need careful thought. And importantly, any solution has to work for everyone involved: the farmers, the electricity system, and our wider community.  So there is still work to do, and no firm conclusions yet - but there is a clear willingness to explore what might be possible.

The broader shift we are making as an island, towards more solar, and in time wind and tidal, supported by storage alongside our existing generation, is often spoken about in technical or environmental terms.  At heart, however, it is also about something simpler: making the island more resilient, more self-reliant, and better able to support the people and businesses that are part of it.

What is encouraging about Kiln Farm is not a single idea or initiative. It is the mindset: a willingness to try, to improve, and to think long-term. If we can match that with the right partnerships, sensible investment, and a clear sense of shared purpose, then real sustainability becomes less of a slogan and more of a direction of travel.