ONGEN, an Edinburgh business that aims to cut energy bills for businesses, has raised £250,000 in funding ahead of its launch today.
Wood Group chairman Ian Marchant is one of the key investors in the business, which has also received funding from the Scottish Investment Bank for its green energy assessment tool.
OnGen has been set up by energy experts Chris Trigg, Andrew Bright and Jonny Clark – who are inviting further finance.
“It’s about opening up renewables for the SME sector,” said Mr Trigg. “[Renewable technology] shouldn’t just be the preserve of the blue chip companies.”
Businesses who use the software could as much as halve their energy costs.
The online platform offers in-depth feasibility assessments of different renewable and low-carbon technologies, such as solar panels, biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps. It is targeted at the public sector in addition to small and medium sized enterprises.
Any potential customers will be able to carry out an assessment using the company’s online tool by supplying details on their uses and requirements.
Saying he was delighted to be involved in the business, Ian Marchant commented: “Putting reliable information in the hands of consumers is the first step on the road to an energy revolution as I believe that the energy system of the future will be
far more decentralised and renewable-focused than our current fossil-based industrialised system.
“Navigating this transition is not easy and OnGen are developing products that allow all consumers of energy to make informed decisions.”
Mr Trigg, a founding director at energy supplier Spark Energy, said that the tool is ideal for the public sector, high energy SME users, farmers and funders of renewable projects.
He wanted to introduce a concept that takes the algorithms developed to help big businesses and make them available at a low cost. “The key piece that I’ve not seen anywhere across the globe is the interaction of technologies to optimise the right mix for a particular site,” he said.
The tool works by comparing different technologies optimised against a facility’s energy consumption and available resource. And in addition to basing decision on costs, the tool can fulfil other criteria, such as a focus on carbon reduction.
“We can cut bills by very high levels,” said Mr Cragg. “But we’re not saying it’s definite; a business could have a particularly good deal from their supply company, there could be planning permission needed, what we’re doing is signposting what could be possible.”
The firm is also exploring an overseas roll out.
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