Liverpool-based renewable energy company Eco Environments, has seen its turnover leap from £1.3 million last year to more than £6 million this year. As a result, the company has seen its staff levels rise from 12 to 50 during 2012.
The company had originally forecast that revenues would rise to around £5million during 2011/12. However, a large surge in demand for domestic solar PV and a number of significant commercial contract wins saw the turnover rise to £6.4 million.
The latest installation figures reveal that Government’s handling of the feed-in tariff has all but strangled the domestic solar PV market. Responding to the domestic market’s stagnation, Eco Environments are planning on putting greater focus on the commercial side of its business and the wide range of renewable energy technologies offered by the company.
Mike Clarke, Eco Environments’ Managing Director, said: “Solar PV and feed-in tariffs have dominated the news agenda for the last couple of years, but the focus going forward will be far more about energy efficiency in the face of ever rising energy costs.
“Eco Environments is not a provider of solar panels; it is a business which offers customers the full range of renewable energy solutions of which solar panels happens to be one.”
The company offers a range of renewable technologies for interested customers including wind turbines, solar thermal, air source heat pumps and energy efficient lighting as well as solar PV.
David Hunt, Eco Environments’ Sales and Marketing Director, added: “While the FTSE companies and large PLCs all have sustainability policies in place, this is much less the case among the SME community.
“Many owner managers still think that renewable energy is about saving the planet when in fact harnessing the right technologies could actually help grow or even save a business at a time of ever rising energy costs.
“New research from the Forum of Private Business has revealed that energy costs are now one of the biggest issues facing small business owners.”
Last year’s impressive growth in turnover was matched by the company’s relocation to a new 9000 sq ft office and warehouse space on the Wellington Business Park, close to Liverpool city centre.
In addition to the new premises, Eco Environments secured a number of successful industry partnerships with the likes of Hyundai Solar, which has enabled the renewables company to open up a new wholesale division.
Mark Buchanan, Eco Environments’ Commercial Director, said: “The Government’s chaotic handling of the FIT rates is killing tens of thousands of jobs in the solar industry and taking away from consumers one of the best financial investments available to them during extremely uncertain economic times. But as a business with a range of solutions we are reinforcing the focus on energy and helping our customers understand how a holistic energy and efficiency strategy can really pay dividends.”
