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CASE STUDY:
Solar panel investment helps haulier
cut energy costs and go green
Neil Hart
OWNER OF
ULAGE
HARTS HA
Harts Haulage, Redruth, Cornwall
B
ased in Redruth, Cornwall,
Harts Haulage specialises
in the transport of aggregates,
tarmac and concrete to and
from construction sites. With
an extensive fleet of 21 tipper
vehicles, Harts Haulage is
currently one of the largest
tipper hauliers in Cornwall.
The company also offers plant
hire services and has three
swing shovels available for hire.
To maintain its vehicle fleet, the haulier
has to regularly perform high pressure
water jet cleaning, a major contributory
factor to its high electricity expenses.
Wishing to cut down on its energy
costs, Harts Haulage consulted
Solarlec, a recognised supplier in the
Energy Efficiency Financing (EEF)
scheme, on potential energy efficiency
measures that could be implemented
within the company.
cash positive. Prior to finance being
approved, the Carbon Trust conducts an
independent energy savings assessment
to verify that expected energy savings
will match or exceed the equipment
finance payments, giving businesses the
additional assurance that the projected
figures provided by their individual
suppliers are accurate.
Following initial evaluation, Solarlec
recognised the substantial energy
savings that could be achieved with
the installation of solar PV panels on
the roof of the haulier’s office building.
Through the EEF scheme, Solarlec
was able to offer an integrated package
combining technology and financing.
The £22,820 solar project has a return
on investment of seven years and is
expected to help Harts Haulage reduce
its carbon emissions by 6,358kg a
year and achieve total financial gains
of over £3,500 in the first year, taking
into account the reduced energy
consumption and the income generated
from the Feed-in-Tariffs (FiTs). With
electricity prices charting a continuous
upward trend, total financial benefits are
estimated to exceed £75,300 over a time
period of 20 years.
The EEF scheme, a joint initiative
between the Carbon Trust and Siemens
Financial Services Limited (SFS), is
designed to provide finance for energy
efficient equipment for businesses,
where the expected savings in energy
costs offset the monthly equipment
finance costs, effectively making
the investment zero net cost or even
Energy Efficiency Made Easy
For more information, please visit
www.siemens.co.uk/energy-efficiency-financing or call 01753 434 476
Energy saving
assessment by
Financial Services
provided by
Neil Hart, owner of Harts Haulage,
commented, “Since it is highly unlikely
that energy prices will go down, we
decided to invest in energy efficiency in
order to reduce our electricity expenses.
The availability of financing is extremely
important for UK businesses such
as ours since we would have found
it difficult to prioritise the investment
without the EEF scheme. The application
for the financing was simple, quick and
efficient, and we will definitely look into
financing other green projects with the
help of the scheme.”
Ged Rowbottom, Director at Solarlec,
commented, “The slow economic
recovery has made many companies
much more hesitant to deploy their
precious cash in green investments.
The EEF scheme allows them to
finance energy efficient projects without
impacting the businesses’ cash flow.
Companies can also keep the credit
lines with their relationship banks intact.
The long-term rise in energy prices
means that electricity is becoming a
more significant part of businesses’
costs and the EEF scheme offers
businesses a way to counter that trend.
This specialist facility has also proved
invaluable in driving our business. Since
ottom
Ged Rowb
LARLEC
AT SO
DIRECTOR
“The long-term rise in energy
prices means that electricity is
becoming a more significant part
of businesses’ costs and the EEF
scheme offers businesses a way
to counter that trend”
joining the scheme as a recognised
supplier, we have already seen a 20%
increase of business with commercial
clients and we are expecting this figure
to grow further.”
Solarlec and the EEF Scheme
Solarlec, founded in 2009, is an awardwinning, government accredited solar
panel company. Based in Burnley,
Lancashire, it helps homes and
businesses throughout the country to
generate their own green energy through
the implementation of solar PV systems.
Since becoming a recognised
supplier of the EEF scheme in 2012,
Solarlec has been able to provide its
customers with an affordable financing
alternative to outright cash purchase.
As upfront capital outlay is no longer a
prerequisite for investments, Solarlec
can offer its customers the most suitable
technological solution that best meets
their business needs irrespective of
customers’ capital budget restrictions.
The ability to provide an encompassing
solution incorporating financing and
technology also means that customers
can enjoy a convenient, one-stop-shop
experience, enabling Solarlec to close
more deals faster. In addition, Solarlec
can benefit from improved cash flow as
SFS makes fast payment of invoices,
usually within 24 hours of receipt of
post-installation documentation.
Energy Efficiency Made Easy
For more information, please visit
www.siemens.co.uk/energy-efficiency-financing or call 01753 434 476
Energy saving
assessment by
Financial Services
provided by