Energy Services Companies are the best way of funding low carbon developments, according to finance guru speaker at an upcoming energy conference Solutions Expo visitors how to offset low carbon costs

ESCOs are the best way to use external finance to build low carbon housing developments. That is the message that the head of an energy finance firm, Peter Walker, will deliver to attendees at next month’s Energy Solutions Expo seminar.

“Ever stiffening legislation is costing house builders more money that they are not going to get back from through the value of the dwelling,” Walker, the boss of EcoCentroGen, said. “Their margins are getting squeezed. ESCOs are a way to put additional capital into development projects to remove some of the pain of the additional costs.”

Investors in an ESCO pay upfront for the energy infrastructure, which can be of a low carbon nature, such as CHP and biomass. They make a profit by charging consumers for energy usage.

ESCOs are a way to put additional capital into development projects to remove some of the pain of the additional costs

Peter Walker, EcoCentroGen

EcoCentroGen provides project funding towards the design and construction of environmentally responsible on-site energy centres, and takes responsibility for their on-going operation and maintenance.

Walker admitted it was ‘tough times’ for industry at the moment, but added: “Legislation is not going away. For now, we are looking at the public sector to take up the slack.”

Walker will speak about the challenge of creating business cases and funding models for on-site power generation on the second day of the Energy Solutions on 9 October.

Postscript

The Energy Solutions Expo takes place at London Olympia on the 8-9 October. Experts from the fields of technology, energy, sustainable construction and government will speak at the event. or more information go to the

Topics