AceOn to play leading role in pioneering home energy scheme
A company will play a leading role in a £1 million project to reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty which could prove to be a blueprint for renewable energy schemes right across the country.
Telford-based AceOn Group will work in partnership with The Wrekin Housing Group and BEW Electrical Wholesalers on a scheme backed by Government money to install green energy systems into nearly 70 existing homes and a further 11 new builds.
The housing group was awarded the money via the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership earlier this month. It means that 68 homes can be retrofitted with battery storage and solar panels and 11 brand new energy-efficient homes can be constructed.
AceOn Energy managing director Richard Partington said the Stafford Park company was the full energy storage provider for the showcase scheme, supplying solar panels, inverters and 7kWh batteries to allow the homes to capture solar energy and then store it in the most efficient and environmentally-friendly way for later use.
“This is a key project for us to be involved in and underlines the cutting edge work we are doing to deliver new energy storage systems which can play a leading role in fighting climate change for the next 20 years and more.
“We have developed a truly-innovative virtual power plant which provides an energy storage system which can be both retro-fitted to existing homes and installed in new developments and is small enough to fit in a cupboard under stairs. It has huge potential to help housing associations, local authorities and developers across the country meet new climate change and carbon emission targets, reduce their tenants’ electricity bills and provide a new income stream for these organisations to support their investment in renewables.
“It is hugely exciting and we are delighted to be working with our partners on such a pioneering and important scheme which will showcase these technologies to a national audience.”
David Wells, executive director of operations for The Wrekin Housing Group, said: “It’s great to be working on this exciting project with AceOn and BEW. The project will make a difference to the lives of our customers while also boosting the low carbon economy.
“The whole world faces a big carbon reduction challenge and we believe a good place for that to start is at home, so we are excited to get started on this project, prove our concept and then continue to invest across our remaining housing stock. We want to help more and more customers out of fuel poverty.”
Paul Hinkins, chair of Telford Business Board, said: “It is great to see Telford companies benefitting from this Government money and being able to make a big positive impact on both the environment and the local economy. Both AceOn and The Wrekin Housing Group are active members of Telford Business Board and are big advocates and ambassadors for our vision and mission to continue to protect and create jobs and put Telford firmly on the map.”
The overall project will deliver 87 jobs in the next year, a 1,678,750kWh reduction in energy consumption off the grid and a 720 tonne reduction in carbon dioxide over a ten-year period. It will deliver reduced energy bills for customers, ease fuel poverty, and reduce the strain on local power networks and other energy infrastructure.
AceOn, which employs 23 members of staff, has built a reputation as being specialists in solar and battery technology, particularly the development of bespoke, custom-built battery packs.
