Energy & Power Awards 2019

27 | SME NEWS - 2019 Energy & Power Awards Operating between Birmingham and the South of England, SolarKW is dedicated to providing surveys and installation of solar photovoltaics and batteries. We caught up with CEO and founder Keith Willis to shed light on the firm’s success, following their win in SME News’ Energy and Power Awards 2019. With an increasingly keen focus on renewable energy sources and sustainable living without the use of fossil fuels, solar power is just one of a number of alternatives that people are considering. Founder Keith Willis has been working in the solar industry since 2011, before deciding to set up his own firm in 2013, where he has since been director of SolarKW. Where Keith does the site surveying, his business partner Gabriele Caputo provides any installation services. Primarily working with residential properties, the company has also conducted installation work for a number of commercial customers, as well as a Solar PV fault-finding and replacement inverter service. Offering a friendly and comprehensive service for all clients, site surveys are technical and extremely educational, ensuring that everyone is provided with a full technical and price-based choice of systems in order to freely decide on the best one for them personally. SolarKW’s founder Keith knows that this leads to success, along with the excellence of their service. “We believe our customers make a very well- informed decision when placing an order with us. Added to that, our installation work really is first class, and this shows in the high number of excellent reviews we receive following installation. We then ensure that all installations continue to operate as expected by monitoring every installation online. We are confident our customers are happy as many regularly pass new potential customers our way.” Keith is very clear on what the overall mission is for his firm, and what drives the business. “At the heart of it all is the desire to be part of the huge global environmental movement to safeguard our planet. The more solar we can install, the more advice we can provide then the more we are playing our part.” Add in to that the technical proficiency of the staff, constant training and range of top-quality products, and SolarKW has a recipe for success. Solar photovoltaics and battery storage is an incredibly fast-moving industry, with technology improving year on year. With the end of solar tariffs, clients are increasingly focused on long-term savings through renewable energy sources, using generated solar power as much as possible and avoiding the environmental impact of fossil fuels. Best Solar Panel Installation Company - England However, negative news about the affordability of solar power means that Keith and SolarKW have to work even harder to dispel those myths and educate people around the necessity to safeguard the planet. Based in Oxfordshire but servicing areas from Birmingham down, there isn’t a shortage of homes for Keith to potentially work with. Closer to the capital however, Keith recognises the opportunities that may come his firm’s way. “In reality our region is a busy one in terms of solar. It is a fairly affluent area and the majority of properties do have the right shaped roof areas for solar panels. Particularly Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. Many new houses are being built in the area, and with quite a lot of solar already in view we find newcomers are interested to investigate the benefits.” Ultimately, Keith recognises the hard work and rewarding nature of the industry he works in, signing off our interview by talking about SolarKW’s role in the renewable energy industry. “We are part of a great industry, filled with some really good people. Whether a company is large or small, they all have a part to play. We are part of that, and our hard work has helped in terms of winning this award. We will continue to be part of the renewable energy industry.” Delivering key renewable energy options both residential and commercial clients across the South of England, Keith’s work is invaluable in helping do a small bit in the big fight against climate change. Company: Solar KW Ltd. Contact: Keith Willis Website: https://solarkw.co.uk