Group joins green pioneers

May 20 2009 by Karen Dent, The Journal

BUILDING services firm John N Dunn is aiming to win a bigger slice of the renewable energy market after taking over green power company SOL20.

The Newcastle firm already owned about a third of SOL20 and has now paid an undisclosed sum for rest of the business, which supplies and installs energy saving measures in commercial and domestic buildings.

John N Dunn chief executive Stephen Bilclough said it was diversifying.

“We recognised the renewables sector is one which has such massive growth. We want John N Dunn to be at the forefront of the green agenda.” The company, which provides plumbing, heating, electrical and energy services to the construction trade, had been involved with North Tyneside’s SOL20 for about three years.

Mr Bilclough said he had been looking at the takeover for about a year – long before last month’s Budget when Chancellor Alastair Darling set new targets for cutting carbon emissions.

The Government wants to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 34% by 2020, which means 14% of the country’s demand for heat needs to be met by alternative sources by that year.

Mr Darling also announced extra funds for social housing but said 34% of the energy used in them must be renewable.

Mr Bilclough said: “Everybody knows the way the industry is going with renewables. It wasn’t a surprise. We’ve been thinking about it for about 12 months. It’s definitely a growth area. We want to build it up gradually and do a good job.”

SOL20 has worked on developments including providing solar thermal systems at housing developments at Whinney Banks on Teesside, Kielder Village and Hadston in Northumberland as well as the sports and leisure centre at Catterick Garrison, a number of NHS health centres in the region and new offices at Wallsend’s Cobalt business park.

It works with technology across the renewable energy spectrum including solar thermal systems, photovoltaics and heat pumps using air and water sourced energy as well as heat recovery systems.

SOL20 head of operations Steve Wigham said: “Some people will tend to care about the planet and what we’re doing to the planet, but for others it’s purely saving money.”