Turbine firm Windcrop opens Saltash office and aims to create 30 jobs

AN INSTALLER of small-scale wind turbines has opened an office in Saltash creating up to 30 jobs.

Windcrop has already installed more than 500 turbines throughout parts of the UK and has now extended its reach to the South West.

The company, which is headquartered in Norwich, was started by former Lotus Engineering commercial director John Moore in 2009 to provide small-scale renewable energy to farmers and other landowners.

Each turbine can make savings on the landowners' electricity bill and Windcrop makes its return on investment through the Government's Feed-in Tariff (FiT) – a financial incentive to encourage the uptake of small scale renewable energy.

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John Ainsworth, general manager at the Saltash office, expects the branch to eventually employ 30 people within site assessment, planning, installation and operations teams.

Mr Ainsworth said: "My team will all be employed from the local area and we're really looking forward to working with farmers, smallholders and other landowners.

"Our small wind turbines are designed to provide the least amount of concern in the planning process and Windcrop has an in-house planning team who manage this part of the job for our customers.

"We then take care of the entire installation process, as well as the maintenance over a 20-year contract period, making it easy and immediately beneficial for customers in the South West."

Windcrop's small wind turbine also features a patented design which the company says has minimum impact on the environment, because the small masts are mounted onto a unique piling system, avoiding the need for onsite heavy plant or concrete.

Mr Moore, who is still managing director of the firm he founded, said the firm was looking forward to working with an increasing number of South West farmers and landowners interested in investing in, and benefiting from, renewable energy.

He said: "As we continue to expand across the UK we are looking to reach even more forward-thinking farmers and landowners who are interested in using a small piece of unproductive land to generate free electricity.

"The South West is already renowned for its pioneering attitude with regard to green energy."

"Ultimately we will play a key part in helping to meet the government target of generating 15 per cent of all the UK's energy from renewable by 2020."