First SME To Harness The Power Of Light!

Ormiston Wire Ltd., a leading wire manufacturer based in Hounslow, begins its first working week as the first small company in Britain to convert daylight into electricity.

Seven days after a Government announcement confirming offshore wind turbines will play a key part in meeting the UK's future energy needs, Ormiston is showing how smaller companies can take the lead and adopt sustainable energy sources.

Thanks to help from a DTI grant, the firm is now powered by Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels, which convert daylight into electricity.

The green, renewable energy generated by the panels will provide a fifth of the company's electricity needs and will power all its machinery.

120 panels, enough to generate 7,650 KW hours of electricity, were installed over a period of five days, and are expected to reduce Ormiston's electricity bills by an average of œ1000 a year.

Any surplus energy produced will be sold back to the grid, via the company's electricity supplier, Ecotricity.

Although PV panels provide a great way of reducing electricity bills, Ormiston's Managing Director, Mark Ormiston, was also motivated by the environmental benefits.

"At Ormiston Wire, we believe that achieving sustainability and protecting the environment is very important.

Our installation will help the environment by preventing 3.29 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions entering the atmosphere each year, which is equivalent to saving 19 double Decker buses full of CO2.

"As a family business, that has run for 210 years, we see measures such as installing solar power as an investment, not just in the environment, but in the future of our business.

This philosophy helped us win the Queen's Award for sustainable development in April 2002.

The funding for the solar project has come from the DTI solar grant scheme, managed by the Energy Saving Trust, which provides grants of between 40 and 65% towards the costs of a solar installation.

Over 40,000 PV panels have now been installed in the UK, to power homes, hospitals, schools and universities.

At Ormiston, the DTI grant of œ23,000 covered 50% of the total installation cost.

The company has also installed a 2.5KW wind turbine.

Kirk Archibald, Solar PV Programme Manager, Energy Saving Trust said: "Commitment to the environment and sustainability is now a vital part of any business strategy.

Solar power is safe, reliable, silent, unobtrusive and low maintenance, and those who use it are setting the trend for the future.

Archibald continued: "Ormiston Wire has set an important example for SMEs and manufacturers.

With the grants that are now available to help companies install solar PV, businesses can embrace renewable energy and fulfil their social and environmental responsibilities.

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