Trentham Monkey Forest Goes Greener with Solar Power Installation

We’re thrilled to announce that Trentham Monkey Forest has taken another big step towards a greener future!

We’ve just completed the installation of over 100 solar panels on the roof of our café and shop! 

This 60kW+ solar energy system will now provide around one-third of our total energy needs, helping us to further protect the environment alongside our Barbary macaque conservation work.

Here, we’ve always strived to work in harmony with nature. The 140 Barbary macaques we protect live remarkably natural lives in a 60-acre ancient woodland, a setting that mirrors their wild habitat in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa.

The monkeys don’t need artificial heating or lighting in the winter months. Their thick fur coats and natural behaviours help them thrive year-round in the incredible woodland setting.

This low-impact lifestyle means the monkeys themselves require very little energy input, making our park one of the greenest animal attractions in the UK by design.

In fact, the areas where we mostly consume electricity are the café, shop, and visitor facilities and with our new solar panel system, we’re now covering a substantial portion of that energy demand through renewable means.

The Barbary macaques are not just stars of the forest they’re also ecosystem engineers. In the wild, Barbary macaques are key seed dispersers, helping forests regenerate and thrive. Even in our Staffordshire woodland, their natural behaviours have an enriching effect on the local environment, from breaking branches that allow light to the forest floor, to spreading seeds that support plant diversity.

This connection to the natural world is why we’re so passionate about sustainability and conservation and why investing in solar energy felt like the next logical step in our journey. Every watt of solar power we generate is one less drawn from fossil fuels, and it brings us closer to our goal of being as environmentally responsible as possible. 

Another step for us is our brand-new off-road EV. Morning with Monkey VIP explorers will get to experience our brand-new EV safari vehicle that will glide across the forest floor, granting them behind-the-scenes access to the vast woodland.

We believe in protecting the wild world both here in Trentham and across the globe. 

Thank you to all our visitors and supporters who help us make projects like this possible. 

When you enjoy a coffee at our café or browse in our shop, know that a big portion of that energy is now coming straight from the sky above!