You may be forgiven for thinking that fossil fuels and renewable energy don’t mix. But a UK company best known for supplying fossil fuel to homes and businesses has attempted a boost to its green credentials by clinching a deal with a United States-based wind turbine maker.
Flogas, based in Syston, Leicestershire, is the country’s second-largest liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) provider, supplying thousands of customers nationwide.
Now the company has agreed a distribution partnership with US-based wind turbine manufacturer Northern Power Systems.
Northern Power Systems produces a 100kw turbine that is already available in Britain and claims its technology is low-maintenance while delivering a high yield. Flogas Renewables business development manager David Taylor said: ]
“We are now in a position to supply a 100kW wind turbine which meets the energy needs for agricultural and commercial business installations while also providing valuable income for the UK feed-in tariff as well as the 60kw model, which is suited to smaller sites. The partnership will allow the business to offer the Northern Power platform to its existing, vast customer base, as well as promote the benefits of wind turbines to new customers. Our experience, presence and reach across the UK means we are ideally placed to act as ambassadors for the innovative products – working directly with our customers and local agents to offer advice and guidance to businesses looking to invest”
Flogas Renewables’ range of wind turbines will take in 6kW, 10kW, 60kW and 100kW models. The company said is working with a number of re-sellers from across the UK to facilitate installations, including Glasgow-based Absolute Solar & Wind.
Northern Power Systems UK sales director Iain Hardie (pictured) said:
“We are delighted to be working with Flogas Renewables, helping to bring our brand to customers across the UK.”
Flogas, owned by Dubin-based DCC, employs 850 people in the UK. Flogas is the UK’s second largest LPG supplier after Calor. It has more than 40 depots across the country, with half of these also supplying LPG for motor vehicles.
Originally developed with NASA and designed for remote and isolated sites, Northern Power Systems 100kw turbine, the NPS 100, has an innovative gearless direct drive permanent magnet generator and is optimized for best low wind speeds performance. The NPS 100 turbines begin making power at wind speeds as low as 3 meters per second (6 mph). It’s also pretty resilient; to date it has a flawless track record of surviving extreme winds, from the bitter cold of Alaska to the hurricanes of the Caribbean.
