Cardiff company aims to save the planet through renewable energy solutions for schools and businesses.
Ineco Energy, based in Cardiff, delivers energy efficiency technologies and solutions to businesses and schools. Actively committed to helping the environment around us, they benefitted from Business Wales sustainability support and implemented a series of measures to reduce their environmental impact:
- HR and sustainability workshop
- signed up to the Business Wales Green Growth Pledge
- active commitment to resource efficiency activities within the business
Introduction to business
Cardiff-based Ineco Energy was created by Tony Rayer, Adam Peat and Angus Rose with the idea to help the planet, save their clients money and educate the next generation. The business delivers renewable and energy efficient technologies, driven by the desire to reduce their environmental impact and foster a habit of sustainability.
“As our customers are able to reduce their outgoings as a result of our involvement, it all adds up to an economically and ecologically sound move for schools and businesses.”
What did you set out to achieve in your business?
Ineco Energy was born out of a desire shared by the 3 like-minded Directors to reduce the energy consumption of our clients, educate future generations and help save the planet.
We strengthened our initial offer of an energy efficient LED lighting solution by adding solar PV panels in 2018, followed by power storage in 2019. As newer technologies become more accessible to the wider market, we will assess their capabilities to add value to both our business offering and to our customers.
What challenges did you face?
- lack of understanding how we differ from other potential suppliers, including M&E consultants and electrical contractors, by offering a ‘turnkey solution’ in our field
- lack of desire to change as people are always happy where they are today, until they understand that better things can be achieved
Business Wales support
Tony and the team were first introduced to the Welsh Government’s Business Wales service at a fully-funded Transport for Wales HR and Sustainability Essentials workshop. They worked with a Sustainability adviser, Paul Carroll, and signed the Business Wales Green Growth Pledge, identifying 4 key priority activities important to the business:
- working with responsible suppliers
- products and services
- appropriate packaging
- measuring impacts
Outcomes
We found the Business Wales workshop and Paul’s advice in advance of the Transport for Wales tender process extremely helpful.
Having identified the key areas to focus on, based on the Green Growth Pledge, we were able to:
- make strategic partnerships with several UK manufacturers, which limits our transportation and associated carbon costs, this has also helped with reducing our waste as the manufacturers deal with the recycling themselves under the WEEE Directive
- receive training from our solar partners
- work with Western Power to digitally read and report open-source data which will benefit our stakeholders and can also be used in education
- engage with Tesla on providing a battery storage solution to allow our clients to use residual daytime power overnight
- consider opportunities to reduce the use of cars for short journeys
Future plans and ambitions
The company is growing: from 3 people in 2016, we now have 6 employees and are projecting further expansion. We want to be respected for our choices of working towards energy efficiency rather than ‘just doing a job’ because we can. We balance what is possible with what is required, and will be honest with the client where we believe that the opportunity is not suitable for our technology offerings.
If you want to read more success stories of how Business Wales has helped other people like you to start or grow their businesses, visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/case-studies or follow @_businesswales / @_busnescymru on Twitter.