Futures Bright For Solar Entrepreneur
AN ENTREPRENEUR from West Yorkshire has quit his job of 20 years and started his own renewable energy equipment company.
Michael McColgan has set up FJD Renewable Energy, which advises residents and businesses on how they can cut energy consumption.
He started the company after giving up his job as a customer service manager in the mechanical handling industry.
“Qualifying as a domestic energy assessor has given me in-depth knowledge of all aspects of energy efficiency,” Mr McColgan said.
“My new company supplies and installs a wide range of equipment which generates renewable energy, including solar panels and heat pumps which convert heat from the earth into power for homes or commercial premises.”
Mr McColgan, of Utley, near Keighley, said investing in renewable energy sources could deliver long-term benefits for residents and businesses.
“You can’t expect to recover the cost of the equipment in a year or two through energy savings, but as fuel prices increase the payback period reduces,” he said.
“It is a long-term investment but one which enables people to make their own contribution to environmental protection, which is becoming paramount.”
Mr McColgan set up the company through Bradford Council’s Kickstart scheme, which has helped start more than 350 new businesses in the last 18 months.
Phil Harrison, a Bradford Kickstart business counsellor based in Keighley, offered him free advice on self-employment and running a business.