Turnover up 1,000 per cent at Shropshire company
A Shropshire renewables company is celebrating its second birthday this month, with turnover up more than 1,000 per cent in the last year.
The massive take-up of solar PV systems in 2011 boosted 7Energy's growth, turning a start-up company into a multi-million pound operation in just two years.
The business, which has its head office in Shrewsbury, last year designed and installed Shropshire's biggest ever solar PV system at a poultry farm in Ludlow.
Managing director Martin Dowley, a former engineer who has worked in the renewable sector for more than 10 years, said: “Without doubt, the introduction of the solar Feed-in-Tariffs had a major impact on the industry. The incentive made solar PV affordable given the great return on investment, especially for the larger installations we've carried out.
“However, we have always maintained that solar PV is an investment worth making even regardless of the level of the tariff, with our customers reporting very much reduced energy bills.”
More than 2,300 solar PV panels were installed at two poultry farms in Shropshire and Powys by 7Energy last year, slashing 65 per cent off the farms £20,000 a year energy bills.
Mr Dowley added: “We delighted that we've had such a successful two years, but we're even more pleased that our clients are seeing the benefit of investing in renewable energy.
“From small scale domestic roof installations to large-scale ground arrays supplying energy to grade 1 listed buildings, all are helping customers save on their bills.”
Mr Dowley set up 7Energy, which also has use of a showroom in Welshpool, after spending several years as the technical manager for Segen Ltd, a leading UK provider of photovoltaic and wind energy systems.
And 7Energy is heading for further growth in 2012, offering a range of renewable technologies including solar thermal systems and wood pellet boilers.
“We are currently quoting on our first combined biomass and solar PV installation and with the forthcoming introduction of the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive, we're confident that more and more consumers will be turning to alternative methods of heating their home, which we hope will see continued record-breaking growth for the company,” added Mr Dowley
