Ice cream, food and drink brand Mackie’s of Scotland has reached a milestone by generating more than one hundred gigawatt hours of renewable energy through its wind turbines.

Mackie’s saw the meter on its three original turbines tick back to zero after it reached the 100 million kWh mark last month.

Mackie’s has been generating power from its wind turbines since 2005.

The Aberdeenshire farming business is continually investing in ways to reduce its footprint, from wind turbines to its solar panel array.

Mackie’s is currently installing a £4.5 million low carbon refrigeration system which will cut the farm’s energy use by up to 80%.

Renewable energy consulting engineer and long-time Mackie’s collaborator, Colin Anderson, believes this to be a significant milestone.

Anderson said: “This is a tremendous feat for Mackie’s and certainly stands as one of the most influential accomplishments in renewable energy production by a private business.

“Mackie’s has been a trailblazer in renewable energy production, becoming one of the first companies to install its own wind turbine in the 1980’s.

“It now has the capabilities to harness wind and solar energy, as well as biomass.

“Attitudes have continued to change over the years, and there is an increased acceptance and understanding of the benefits renewable energy generators, such as wind farms, can bring.

“More and more businesses are looking at ways in which they can produce their own renewable energy following the template set by Mackie’s.

“Scotland’s potential for renewable energy is one of the greatest in Europe, and through developing these technologies our nation’s dependence on fossil fuel-based electricity can be reduced.”

Mackie’s turbines produce around 50% more energy than Mackie’s require to run their business, with the surplus electricity sold into the grid as green energy for surrounding communities to use.

Mac Mackie, managing director at Mackie’s of Scotland, said: “We are continuing to invest in new methods which will increase our renewable potential and cut down our carbon footprint.

“Reaching 100 million kWh is a significant landmark for the farm and we are looking forward to hitting the 200 million mark in the years to come.”