CCTV, security and panic alarms, cat 6 cabling, heat pumps, underfloor heating and local cooling units were all fitted along with Grant solar thermal and PV systems as part of a council supported £3.5m investment scheme designed to reduce the building’s carbon footprint and energy consumption.
Bright future: Ian Draisey of Dulas looks beyond recent uncertainty in FiT
The recent Feed-in Tariff announcement has left many in the industry feeling disheartened and uncertain as to the future of the PV sector over the coming months. Whilst recognising the upset the cuts have created, Ian Draisey, of Dulas MHH, is finding positivity in the situation.
Sixty per cent of the world is now generating electricity using solar products manufactured in China. In latter years, made in China, left UK consumers distinctly unimpressed, but today companies such as the ET Solar Group, are producing a quality product at a lower cost. Now widely used in countries like Germany, where top quality manufacturing is the norm, Renewable Energy Installer (REI) witnessed the company’s operation first hand. Jane Hughes reports
Established in October 2006, the ET Solar Group is a one-stop solar power solution provider which employs 3,000 people across its 10 wholly-owned subsidiaries and three manufacturing plants. With local sales and marketing subsidiaries and offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, ET Solar provides solar modules, solar tracking systems and turnkey solution services to its customers in over 50 countries.
“We’re a young, vibrant company with a passion for renewable energy technology,” explained global marketing director, Santran Duan. “But passion is not enough, to that we have added excellence.”
Renewable energy installation is a multi-faceted operation and the role of installer has ramped up. Not only is there training to undertake, legislation to adhere to and technology to keep abreast of, but there is the added responsibility of acting as advisor to the customer.
Amid the day-to-day running of a renewables business, it can be easy to overlook the needs of the consumer and assume they come to you fully armed with a battery of energy expertise. However, they may not know which technology best suits their needs, FiTs may be getting them in a flap and they may feel confused cutting through the cowboys to find a company they can trust. This is where the you come in – it’s important to know the answers to your customer’s questions, allaying any queries they may have about investing in renewable technology.