Welsh renewable energy installer Coast2Coast Group has launched a new construction division in a move that will bolster the company’s portfolio in the face of government cuts to energy efficiency subsidies.
Coast2Coast Construction Services was launched in the summer and will complement the company’s other sections, Coast2Coast Energy and Coast2Coast Renewables, representing a shift from the company’s portfolio of solar PV and insulation services.
The new construction arm will specialise in kitchens, bathrooms, roof refurbishment and renovation, extensions, gutters and facias, cavity wall extraction, scaffolding and a number of other building and renovation services.
The company’s previous work has focused on the installation of energy efficiency measures such as solar panels, biomass boilers and insulation for lofts, cavity walls and external walls. Coast2Coast Group also offers advice on Government schemes like the Energy Company Obligation (ECO).
Following several announcements in recent months regarding government support for these schemes, including planned cuts to the feed-in tariff (FiT), the end of the Green Deal, and most recently the ECO replacement due in April 2017, the company’s new division has been established to provide certainty to its business.
Rhys Elias, director at Coast2Coast Group, stold Solar Power Portal: “It was great while it lasted but it was never our long term plan to rely on subsidies so over the last year we’ve transitioned into targeting the private market.”
“We’d set up Coast2Coast Construction prior to knowing about the feed-in tariff (FiT) being scrutinised so maybe it was a case of luck and judgement at the same time. These schemes don’t last for ever, government incentives don’t last forever and it was just a matter of time.”
Earlier this year, the company’s sales director Matt Edwards warned homeowners thinking of installing solar to act quickly before government cuts to subsidy are introduced. However, Matt Edwards added that cuts to the FiT would be welcome “because we need to move away from being reliant on these subsidies and battery storage will be available.”
The company recently launched a battery storage system in association with Tesla which Elias believes will keep the company secure as government subsidies face reduction.
“I think a lot of people are probably worried about where the industry is going whereas we’ve looked at it in a different light. It’s a new era for solar PV and for me, battery storage is a no brainer. It’s actually a better deal than the current FiT because you will never pay an electric bill for the rest of your life. It’s also a lot easier for customers to understand,” he said.
“I think the marketplace for solar PV in general, especially the manufacturers and suppliers, have obviously been looking at another solution to solar PV and it seems to be the obvious progression now. I’m very confident about the battery storage system as a whole.”