Farmers Are Targeted By Japanese Energy Company

By Cynthia Taylor

Japanese Energy Company, SmartestEnergy, opened an office in Glasgow and it intends to recruit mini power generation businesses that are currently being built across Scotland. These mini generation companies are being developed as a result of measures to encourage investment in renewable energy, the Feed-in-Tariffs schemes is part of it.

The present price increases have also played a part in encouraging businesses to invest in energy generation facilities.

The Scottish government has some very ambitious targets for their energy generation policies; they believe that they need to make the most of Scotland’s benefits as a result of its climate and geography.

SmartestEnergy’s business development manager Iain Robertson said that hundreds of power generation facilities could be built in the next few years.

In order to deal with the expected workload SmartestEnergy has recruited a second business development manager.

Mr. Robertson said that there are plenty of potential deals that involve organisations that wish to develop facilities that will qualify to be eligible for the Feed-in-Tariff scheme. SmartestEnergy will have to pay the minimum rate for any generated power by customers.

SmartestEnergy have built a quiet presence in Scotland without an office, and in that period have already signed up 50 customers so far.

One of the Customers is Aberdeen and Northern Eggs, who have invested £1.2 m in a turbine that is capable of generating 800 KW.

SmartestEnergy purchases hydroelectricity generated from the Allt Mor river facility, this facility generates 2 MW of power and is a privately owned investment. The company also purchases tidal and wave power from the European Marine Energy centre which is sited in Orkney.

SmartestEnergy is a subsidiary of the Marubeni Corporation, and they sell energy to many corporate users. 56 branches of Marks and Spencer in Scotland received power from them.

Marubeni has plans to invest more than £600 on renewable energy products in the medium term in the UK. The energy giant has agreed to purchase 49.9% stake in the Dong Energy’s 172 wind farm at Gunfleet Sands, the wind farm is capable of generating 172MW of power, this will cost Marubeni about £200m