http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-38883539
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Wind energy to be created using lamp-posts
6 February 2017
An IT company has joined forces with a green technology firm to develop
wind turbines which attach to lamp-posts.
The NVT Group's partnership with Own Energy Solutions is set to create
25 jobs over the next 12 months which it hopes will rise to about 300
within three years.
The scheme harvests wind using a small wind turbine and inverter system.
As a result, metered, clean energy could be fed directly into the
National Grid.
The company said that as a result, each suitable lamp-post conversion
would save half a ton of carbon being released into the atmosphere.
As part of the deal, which is worth about £3.5m over the next 15 years,
Own Energy is relocating from Glasgow to NVT's headquarters in
Bellshill, North Lanarkshire.
Stephen Park Brown, managing director of NVT Group, said: "We have a
great record of working with winning teams and this new venture has
every prospect of eclipsing our recent commissions. We believe that Own
Energy can become a significant player in the renewables market both in
the UK and beyond."
'Huge export potential'
David Gordon, chief executive of Own Energy, said: "We chose to partner
with NVT Group based on its extraordinary performance in recent years,
particularly in the delivery of the technology for world-class sporting
events such as the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow - which of course was
widely regarded as the most successful in history - and The Ryder Cup.
"Our business is likely to scale up quickly and we know that NVT Group
will be able to accommodate such growth based on its past experience.
There are around 10 million lamp-posts in the UK and upwards of 20% of
these are suitable for conversion which makes this a very scalable
business opportunity with huge export potential.
"We have already had positive preliminary discussions with UK public and
private bodies and have had indications of interest from the USA,
Canada, Mexico, Ireland and South Africa. We believe this business has
the potential to achieve an annual UK turnover of over £400m within five
years."
Local MSP Richard Lyle said: "This is marvellous news and I know from
colleagues across the political divide that this project is really
firing the imagination.
"It chimes with the policies of the major political parties in Scotland
and can deliver both clean green energy as well as meaningful financial
benefits for hosts such as local government and private owners alike.
Bringing jobs to Bellshill is also to be welcomed."
North Lanarkshire Council leader Jim Logue said: "I very much welcome
this news. New jobs, technology and innovation are a healthy mix of
ingredients which will, we hope, pay dividends for North Lanarkshire and
beyond."
