Top 15 Companies affiliated to renewable energy in UK

Top 15 Companies affiliated to renewable energy in UK

Top 15 Companies affiliated to renewable energy in UK

The United Kingdom is one of the oldest ruling civilizations in the world and they are also one of the oldest civilizations to produce electricity, with waterwheel technology dating as early as the 2nd century AD. Similarly, Windmills first appeared in Europe during the middle age while the first electricity-generating wind turbine was recorded in 1887. In 1878 the world’s first hydroelectric power was installed in England. However, thereafter, most of the energy produced has been through coal. 

The scene of renewable energy in the UK started during the 1970s with the global oil crisis and miner’s strike. Today, renewables produce more than 20% of the UK's electricity and are set to increase with several schemes that provide financial support for renewable energy such as Renewable Obligation Certificate Scheme (ROCs), Feed-in tariffs, and renewable heat incentive. 

What are the major sources of renewable energy in the UK?

Image by topsy_toby98 from Pixabay 

The major sources of renewable energy in the UK to make electricity and fuel include wind, waves, marine, hydro, biomass, and solar. 

With over 10,000 wind turbines and a total capacity of 22 GWs, the UK is ranked as the world’s sixth-largest producer of wind power. 

Biomass is the largest renewable energy source in the UK, catering to transportation, and energy generation. Biomass is also an important part of the UK's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. 

Hydroelectric power is a well-established technology in the UK running on the natural flow of river or dam storage techniques. Similarly, marine and wave technologies that use ocean energy to produce electricity are increasing with major co

Solar photovoltaics is another major source of renewable energy in the UK with nearly 9GW of installed capacity. 

Other renewable energy sources in the UK include: Geothermal energy and community energy systems based on solar and wind technologies

List of 15 UK renewable energy companies

Image by blank76 from Pixabay 

1) Veolia

Veolia UK is a renewable energy company, which falls under the Veolia Environment S.A. - a French transnational company providing water management, waste management, and energy services all around the world. 

Even in the UK, Veolia is a leader in environmental solutions, helping reduce carbon emissions, prevent pollution, preserve natural resources, protect biodiversity, and combat climate change by building a circular economy through the management of water, waste, and energy services. They are especially focused on creating more green products and green energy providing new solutions to already existing problems.

From transforming sludge into plastic, recovering palladium from street sweepings to the recycling of electric vehicles to web-based waste management to treat of micropollutants to preventing flooding,  Veolia has invested over 1 billion in infrastructure for innovation in material loops, energy services, digital services.

  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Founded: 1853
  • Headquarters: France
  • Number of employees: 10,000+
  • Sector: Wind, Solar, and Biogas​​​​​​​
  • Specialties: Recycling & Waste, Water, Energy, and Circular Economy
  • Website: http://www.veolia.co.uk

2) Iberdrola

Iberdrola is a global energy company headquartered in Bilbao Spain, with over 34,000 employees and 31.67 million over 4 continents. Scottish Power is a subsidiary of Iberdrola, a renewable energy company in the UK that stands as the 4th largest provider of energy in the country. The Scottish Power was integrated into the Iberdrola group in 2007, which has helped in the fight against climate change and produce more clean energy.

Globally, Iberdrola is the number one producer of wind power and one of the world’s biggest electricity utilities by market capitalizations. The Iberdrola Renovables is a subsidiary of Iberdrola which overviews renewable energy with over 15,000 MW of installed capacity of which 500MW+ farm is situated in Glasgow, Scotland.

  • Founded: 1840
  • Headquarters: Bilbao, Biscay (Glasgow, Scotland)
  • Number of employees: 10,000+
  • Sector: Wind, Solar, and Biogas
  • Specialties: Utility, Power, Electricity, Transmission, Hydroelectric, Wind, Solar, 
  • Website: http://www.iberdrola.com/

3) GENeco

GENeco, a part of the Wessex Water group of companies, is a multi-award-winning renewable energy company in the UK that provides services ranging from food and liquid waste treatment & recycling to composting. They operate on a circular economy treating over 700,000 tonnes of varied east per annum and transforming them into usable products. 

They provide cost-effective and sustainable waste management solutions catering to small and large organizations. Their market-leading treatment processes allow them to produce renewable energy, soil conditioners, and nutrient-rich biofertilizers helping their customers become more sustainable and reduce the dependency on landfills. The significant innovations of Geneco include Bio-Bug(2010), CompAer(2011), Bio-bus(2015), Bio-Bee(2018) and electric vehicles.(2019)

  • Founded: 2008
  • Headquarters: Bristol
  • Number of employees: ~200
  • Sector: Wind, Solar, and Biogas
  • Notable Feats: Times Top100 employer accreditation
  • Specialties: Waste, Recycling, Circular Economy, Biofertilizers, BioMethane, Compost
  • Website: http://www.geneco.uk.com/

4) ExxonMobil UK 

ExxonMobil is one of the largest publicly traded international oil and gas companies and Exxon Mobil in the UK has nearly 130 years long history in the industry. Renewable energy is one of the sectors in which the company is working and currently they are working on research and innovation to deliver advanced biofuels with environmental benefits.

They are especially focused on advanced biofuels that do not compete with food or water supplies like algae, corn stover, switchgrass, and methane. They have invested over 250M$ in biofuels research in the last decade and target to produce algal biofuels with 50% fewer emissions than petroleum-derived fuel. Similarly, the company recently joined hands with Renewable Energy Group and Clariant to advance cellulose biofuel research. 

  • Founded: November 30, 1999
  • Headquarters: Irving, Texas (Ermyn House, Surrey, UK)
  • Number of employees: ~75000 (worldwide)
  • Sector: Biogas, 
  • Notable Feats: One of the largest publicly trading company in the world
  • Specialties: Waste, oil, gas, petroleum, refining, and chemicals
  • Website: https://exxonmobil.co.uk

5) Green fuels

Green fuels is a renewable energy company in the UK that is a global leader in biodiesel equipment. They focus on the production of sustainable biofuel from waste vegetable oils and animal fats. Currently, they are operating in 80 countries over 5 continents helping to offset 5 million tonnes of carbon since their establishment. 

They are a tech-powered company with a dedicated R&D team that explores new and emerging areas of sustainable fuels. They have been recognized with various awards that included 2008 CleanTech 100 Company by Guardian, 2015 New Energy and Cleantech entrepreneur of the year, and many more.

Some of their projects included innovative fuel processes from sugarcane residues in India, aquaculture value chain in Mexico, and collaboration with the UK royal family., Similarly, they help agricultural wastes and novel non-food crops into fuels and energy, 

  • Founded: 2003
  • Headquarters: Berkeley, Gloucestershire
  • Number of employees: 50+
  • Sector: Biogas, 
  • Notable Feats: 420 million liters of annual production capacity. 1st 100% biofuel-powered jet flight(2207), 100% biofuel-powered train (UK’s royal train)
  • Specialties: Waste, oil, gas, petroleum, refining, and chemicals
  • Website: http://greenfuels.co.uk/

6) PlanET

One of the top5 plant builders in the world, PlanET biogas UK is an affiliate of PlanET biogas Group GmBH, based in Germany.  The first PlanET biogas plant in the UK was connected to the grid in 2011 and since then they have been providing various services and products to help combat climate change and produce renewable energy in the UK. 

Their services include planning, new construction, repowering technical, and biological service for their customers. Similarly, PlanET biogas has a wide variety of products that includes Rotacrex, Vario, BioMix, eco mixers, Pumping technologies, Gas Flare, and more which allows the end-user to effectively turn waste into energy. They are also known to help improve the plant’s performance and make it up to date with the current technology 

  • Founded: 1998
  • Headquarters: Vreden, Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Number of employees: 50+
  • Sector: Biogas, 
  • Specialties: biogas, Repowering, Development of plants,
  • Website: http://www.planet-biogas.com/

​​​​​​​7) Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute

Another company affiliated with renewable energy in the UK is the Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute (ERBI), based on Aston University in Birmingham, a world-leading research institute providing practical bioenergy solutions to local authorities and companies to upscale in this high growth market. 

ERBI helps companies on the path to Net Zero by developing new products & services, assessment and advice on technologies, creating bespoke reports, organizing events for businesses, linking to new supply chains, analyzing waste material as well as providing advice on the latest funding opportunities.

They collaborate with academia, government bodies, and industry to provide innovative technologies that allow for efficient production of electricity and heat as well as effective waste management. They are also part of the Energy Research Accelerator program and are active in the stimulation of innovation and knowledge transfer. 

ERBI offers business specialist advice on biochar, bioproducts, thermal processes, energy systems, biological processes, value chain, energy from wastes, and more. 

  • Founded: 2007
  • Headquarters: Vreden, Birmingham, West Midlands
  • Number of employees: 50+
  • Sector: Biogas, 
  • Notable Feats:21M in funding for seven laboratories 
  • Specialties: bioenergy, biomass, waste management, biofuels, algae, renewable energy 
  • Website: https://bioenergy-for-business.org/

​​​​​​​8) Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association

The Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA) is the trade association for anaerobic digestion and associated industries in the United Kingdom. Started with 10 founder member companies, their objective is to help remove barriers and support the renewable energy companies in the UK working in the anaerobic digestion industry.

 ADBA facilitates the growth of the industry and promotes the economic and environmental benefits of AD in the UK through lobbying activities, meeting with high government officials, working groups, high profile industry events, educational materials, and more. They now represent over 370 member companies and during this short period, they have helped promote higher levels of feed-in tariffs to be included in the legislation.

Member companies of ADBA get access to the entire supply chain while also getting access to share ideas, learn, and get access to the latest technical information and interpretation of the regulation. They also provide Certification Schemes, provide R&D Tax Services, support with finance, insurance, and risk management while also helping to find feedstock. 

  • Founded: 2009
  • Headquarters: London, England
  • Number of employees: 50+
  • Sector: Biogas, Biofuels, Biomass
  • Notable Feats: Development of legislation including promoting high feed-in tariffs  
  • Specialties: Anaerobic Digestion, Biomethane, Biogas, Lobbying, Events, Bioresources, Member services 
  • Website: http://www.adbioresources.org/

​​​​​​​9) QED Environmental System

QED Environmental Systems has been a leading manufacturer of environmental monitoring and remediation equipment providing innovative and cost-effective solutions that are easy to use, lasts long, and is technically superior. 

Their product line includes DedicatedBladder Pumps, Portable Sampling Pumps, Electric Submersible Pumps, Piston Pumps, Air-powered Pumps, Air Stripers, and more which provides dependable pumping in difficult situations. QED’s Air strippers provide up to 88% removal of VOCs in contaminated water. They are a global supplier of air-powered submersible pumping systems for groundwater sampling, groundwater remediation, and landfill liquids. 

They Currently have 4 main brands: QED working on-air and electrical powered pumping, HUBERG for vehicle and portable gas detection instruments, Geotech for fixed and portable gas instrumentation for multiple applications, and SNAP SAMPLER for passive groundwater sampling. 

  • Founded: 1972
  • Headquarters: Coventry, West Midlands
  • Number of employees: 50+
  • Sector: Biogas, Biofuels, Biomass
  • Specialties: Environmental Monitoring Equipment, Landfill Gas Analyser, Carbon Credit Accreditation, Equipment Servicing, Field Servicing/Training, Installation & Commissioning, Anaerobic Digestion, Methane, Medical Gas, Leachate Monitoring, Biogas Analyser, Incubator Analyser, Remediation, Soil Sampling, and Groundwater
  • Website: http://www.qedenv.com/

​​​​​​​10) Meeco

Meeco UK is part of the Meeco Group based in Switzerland, with 80 years of history in the energy sector, providing services and solutions across three continents.  They collaborate with project developers, businesses, technology providers, and EPC contractors which allows them to structure, finance, and commission highly profitable projects. 

Some of their services include advisory services for strategy, financial planning, project management, creating renewable energy solutions on and off the grid, for energy storage and monitoring while also including construction, maintenance, and monitoring of renewable energy sites. 

Meeco has an intensive network internationally but they collaborate with local experts, engineers, and consultants to ensure that the local requirements and community needs are fulfilled. 

  • Founded: 2000
  • Headquarters: London, England
  • Number of employees: 50+
  • Sector: Biogas, Biofuels, Biomass
  • Specialties: advisory services, energy turnkey solutions, energy storage, solar water pumping, and online monitoring
  • Website: www.meeco.net 

11) SIEMENS

A company with a rich heritage and spirit of innovation, Siemens(Siemens AG) has its roots in Germany but is an equally active company working for renewable energy in the UK. They are the digital pioneers, focusing on the areas of electrification and automation focusing on unleashing the business potential of their customers through energy-efficient resource-saving technology and digital integration. 

Although they are focused highly on digitalization and technology, they are committed to the fight against climate change and bridging the energy transition gaps. Siemens does it so by transitioning to low carbon energy systems with intelligent and sustainable solutions. Their technology has helped maximize production from energy systems, increase the quality of drinking water while also focusing on decarbonizing existing energy systems. They are dedicated to achieving deep carbonization by increasing the share of renewable power throughout all energy sectors like power, heating, transportation, settlement, and others. 

  • Founded: 1847
  • Headquarters: Berlin
  • Number of employees: 300,000 worldwide
  • Sector: Energy, Industry, Transportation, Infrastructures
  • Notable Feats: 2019 revenue of euro 58.5 billion 
  • Specialties: Electrification, Automation, Digitalization, AI, IoT, Mobility, Innovation
  • Website:www.siemens.com 

​​​​​​​12) GE Renewable Energy

GE Renewable Energy is a subsidiary of General Electric Motors which harnesses the earth’s most abundant resources - wind, sun & water to deliver green electricity for powering the world's biggest economies and most remote communities. 

Their innovative spirit and entrepreneurial mindset allow them to engineer energy products, grid solutions, and digital services with maximum value for the customers. Globally, they have 400 GW of renewable energy installed,  with nearly 25% of hydropower installations and 40,000 wind turbines. 

GE has been operating in the UK for nearly 128 years and has more than 20 sites. Their roles in renewable energy in the UK and Ireland include testing the world’s largest wind turbine (Haliad-X, in Northumberland), the world’s largest and most fuel-efficient aviation Engine (GE9X in Wales). Recently, GE Renewable Energy and the UK’s Offshore renewable energy signed an 11 million dollar research partnership to minimize human interventions in the site. 

  • Founded: 2009
  • Headquarters: Boulogne-Billancourt, Ile-de-France
  • Number of employees: 1500 in the UK 
  • Sector: Wind, Solar, Hydro 
  • Notable Feats: 128 years in the UK with more than 20 sites  
  • Specialties: Wind energy, hydropower, blades, grid, renewable energy
  • Website: www.ge.com 

​​​​​​​13) EDF Renewables 

EDF Renewables is part of the EDF group, one of the world’s largest electricity companies. EDF is a leading renewable energy company in the UK focusing on investment and innovations to reduce customer costs and increase significant benefits for communities. Currently, they have 34 wind farms and battery storage units in the UK providing nearly 786 MW of affordable, low-carbon electricity in the UK. 

EDF Renewables operate and maintain their own wind farms. They are especially focused on off-shore wind power but are also looking to work on solar power and on-shore wind power with their latest technologies and innovations. They work closely with the UK and Scottish Governments to ensure a diverse, reliable, and affordable low-carbon energy mix, suitable for customers and industries for decades to come. 

  • Founded: 2008
  • Headquarters: Victoria Street, London | Edinburgh, Scotland 
  • Number of employees: ~300
  • Sector: Wind, Solar & Hydro 
  • Notable Feats:36 WindFarms with a total of 1GW renewable energy in operational and Planned phase 
  • Specialties: Wind farms, battery storage, low carbon electricity, solar power, off-shore wind power
  • Website: www.edf-re.uk 

​​​​​​​14) Solar Century 

Solarcentury is a company affiliated to renewable energy in the UK which has been an industry leader in solar panels worldwide with operations across Europe (UK, Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany), South America(Mexico, Chile), and Africa. They are making a meaningful difference in the fight against climate chaos through the widespread adoption of solar power, with more than 1.3GWp of solar electricity built with a pipeline of 6GWp. 

They provide end to end service from developing, financing, building, and installing solar projects for commercial and utility purposes. The solar century has started its own non-profit organization: SolarAid which aims to eradicate kerosene lamps from Africa.  5% of their annual net profits go into the organization. 

Solar City boasts higher engineering quality, financial stability, and deployment abilities to maximize the benefit for their consumers.

  • Founded: 1998
  • Headquarters: London, England
  • Number of employees: 50+
  • Sector: Biogas, Biofuels, Biomass
  • Notable Feats: 6 billion+ units of electricity produced & 1.7 million+ tonnes of CO2 reduced  
  • Specialties: Photovoltaic cells, Solar Power Plants, Solar Aid
  • Website:www.solarcentury.com 

​​​​​​​15) Vattenfall

Owned by the Swedish State, Vattenfall is a leading European energy company,  with operations in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the UK. They have been working for more than 100 years to electrify industries, supply household energy, and modernize the way of living through innovation and cooperation. 

Vattenfall is committed to making fossil-free living possible within one generation which they are accelerating by making transitions to sustainable energy systems based on renewable energy productions.  In the UK, Vattenfall works to bring low carbon heating solutions to developers and cities, owns and maintains electric network infrastructure, and designs, builds, owns and operates climate-smart high voltage electrical network infrastructures. 

  • Founded: 1909
  • Headquarters: Solna, Stockholm​​​​​​​
  • Number of employees: 50+
  • Sector: Biogas, Biofuels, Biomass
  • Notable Feats: More than 100 years in working  
  • Specialties: Utility services, electrical network, low carbon heating, household energy
  • Website: www.group.vattenfall.com 

Renewable Energy Produced & Consumed in the UK

Image by Marco Chilese on Unsplash

Like a trend in almost all countries, renewable energy produced in the UK is usually consumed in 3 major sectors: electricity, heat, and transportation. 

In 2020,  Low carbon generation in the UK reached a new record high at 62.1 percent of generation, with fossil fuel generation reaching a new record low at 35.4 percent with a sharp fall in gas generation. 

Provisional calculations show that 13.2 percent of final energy consumption in 2019 came from renewable sources.

Renewable electricity capacity was 47.4 GW at the end of the first quarter of 2020, which accounted for 47 percent of total electricity generation. 

Renewable heat accounted for 7.9 percent of total heat consumption.

Renewable energy used for transportation accounted for over 13.2 percent of total consumption

CONCLUSION

Image by Lee Osborne from Pixabay 

THE UK government has pledged to hit a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and this has seen a drastic increase in the use of renewable energy sources for utility and commercial purposes. In the last 6 years, the renewable electricity output has increased 4 folds while Scotland is determined to generate enough renewable energy to power the economy. 

The Renewable Energy industry in the UK is expected to continue to expand over the next five years, with better policies supporting the production and consumption of renewable energy. The decrease in the cost of renewable energy technologies will be a major factor to make renewable energy more affordable and accessible to the end customers. 

In this fight to decarbonize the economy, fight global warming, and increase the share of renewable energy, the companies affiliated with renewable energy in the UK will have a vital role. Even companies that do not directly produce renewable energy are making the shift to cleaner energy. ​​​​​​​

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