VG Energy, the renewable technologies firm, has further strengthened its position at the forefront of the UK’s biomass boiler industry following continued success in 2014 and the installation of almost 200 biomass boilers across the UK.
Furthermore, with an installation schedule operating at full capacity until March and the demand for the company’s biomass products and services showing no sign of letting up in early 2015, VG is confident of another successful year.
Established in 2008 by two farmers, VG Energy is an engineering-led business with significant experience designing, installing, commissioning, and maintaining large scale renewable technology products for customers across many industry types.
The business has 850 biomass, wind and solar PV projects in its portfolio, from its Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire, and Yorkshire offices where it employs almost 100 staff.
To accelerate the development of the company’s biomass business over the past 12 months, which has experienced a ten-fold growth in staff numbers, VG restructured its board of directors, with the introduction of a biomass technical director and sales director to help drive the business forward; and, following an ambitious recruitment drive, the company has assembled an experienced and highly skilled team of in-house biomass specialists.
VG recently expanded the number of full-time installation teams to seven, from one team in late 2013, and in addition, has established two servicing and maintenance teams – operating across the UK to provide 24/7, 365 technical support to its customer base from its fleet of 20 vans. The company is on average installing six boilers a week, as well as servicing multiple boilers.
Key statistics from 2014:
- 188 installations were accredited by VG’s in-house RHI Accreditation team on its customers behalf with Ofgem, with some clients submitted and accepted within 2 weeks.
- VG Energy installed 27,200 Kw worth of Commercial biomass boilers
- Which equates to 35,740,800 KW hours in tier 1 per Annum.
- Or£2,888,000 worth of RHI incomer per year generated for its customers
- Or £58m over 20 years
- In total, this Represents 9,150 tonnes of CO2 savings per year, 183 000 tonnes over 20 years.
Throughout 2014, and to ensure its customers were being offered the best levels of service and support at each stage of the biomass project, VG continued to strengthen its biomass support office with the addition of two Renewable Heat Initiative (RHI) Accreditation account managers and an experienced new servicing sales manager – who brings 20 years’ experience working closely with customers to better understand their business and to advise on the best service package tailored to their requirements, therefore eliminating any down time.
Director Gordon Smith commented: “It’s been evident for some time that biomass technology was set to step out of the shadows of wind and solar to be the renewable product of choice for farmers and commercial businesses.
“With the introduction of the RHI, the biomass industry continues to go from strength to strength and it was imperative, just like wind and solar, VG were leading the way. Our biomass heating division brings industry leading capabilities and specialist expertise to fully complete projects from start to finish in-house.
“Our biomass division is amongst the most credible teams in the UK and the continued strengthening of our biomass business will help facilitate our strategic plans to position VG as the market leader in designing, installing and maintaining biomass heating systems throughout the UK.”
VG attributed a key part of its success and growth to the company’s commitment to offering its customers a range of class leading biomass boiler systems which have a long standing track record, have been rigorously tested, and offer very high levels of efficiency, low emissions, ease of use and low operating costs.
The company also said such a strong partnership with pioneering German and Austrian manufacturers such as Heizomat and ETA, coupled with the company’s philosophy of only using quality components during its installation, ensures these benefits are passed onto its customers via higher boiler performance levels, increased revenue, reduced downtime and lower fuel costs.
