As debate rages about what support should be provided for the development of renewable energy sources a Highlands entrepreneur highlights the impact of a programme that has been under particularly close scrutiny.

Name:

George Goudsmit.

Age:

75.

What is your business called?

AES Solar.

Where is it based?

Forres in Moray.

What services does it offer?

The design, manufacture and commissioning of solar energy systems. We are the only manufacturer of solar thermal panels in Scotland and are the longest running manufacturer of panels in Europe. We recently launched a service to custom build solar thermal panels which means the shape can be altered to accommodate difficult roof areas and the frame can be any colour you like.

To whom does it sell?

Any situation that requires heat and/or power. From small domestic to large commercial systems.

We have carried out installs all over the world including a UN hospital in Afghanistan and also provided panels for an installation in Antarctica and the Scottish Parliament building. One of our most well-known clients has to be the Queen. We designed, manufactured and installed a Solar Thermal system for Her Majesty at Balmoral.

What is its turnover?

£2.1 million.

How many employees?

12. Over seventy per cent of the headquarters staff hold one or more degrees, or a professional qualification. We also have three modern apprentices plus another staff member who has gained qualification through this route. In the last twelve months, the workforce has grown by 50 per cent despite the challenges the solar industry currently faces.

We recently took an active part in Scottish Apprenticeship Week and I was trained by one of our apprentices Jordan Steele on how to make a solar panel. Having run the company for 27 years, it was a real treat to be in the workshop and see more about the hands-on work Jordan is doing. I’m usually in the office or flying all over the country to meetings.

I am always inspired when I see youngsters working on interesting projects, their enthusiasm at trying to be innovative and looking at challenges in a totally different way from mine reminds me of my own youth. I invented so many schemes and products and clearly remember being filled with joy when they succeeded and, more often, devastated when they crashed.

When was it formed?

In 1979 by Lyle Schnadt, an American engineer who lived in Findhorn. He named the company WEATHERWISE.

Why did you take the plunge?

When I took over the company in 1989 it seemed a great opportunity to do something good for the Planet and at the same time make a decent living. The company I owned before this one was completely profit orientated. I am happy to have found a product that has fascinating opportunities for diversification and usefulness, whilst contributing to decreasing harmful emissions. One day it may make me a decent living too.

What were you doing before you took the plunge?

I ran an international telex service. This service provided telex access to companies that did not have sufficient telex traffic themselves, or could not wait for their own telex machines being installed. This could take several years in London at that time. It was an exciting business ending up with 11 offices around the world. Transmission speeds were the most important part of the success. It meant a lot of travelling and there was always one or another branch open. It was a day and night company, non stop.

How did you raise the start-up funding?

It was a low-key going concern, plus I added some personal finance.

What was your biggest break?

An amalgamation with Dutch Royal Econosto, which lasted four years.

Royal Econosto’s solar subsidiary , ZEN, had forecast that the domestic new build industry in the UK would boom around 1998. We were a logical choice to buy themselves into, we were well established and were ready to expand quickly.

The deal took us from a 70sqm workshop to a 550sqm factory and gave us huge publicity and financial backing. The only reason for stopping the partnership was that Royal Econosto sold its solar division to another large company that did not wish to continue with an overseas partner.

They sold the company back to me rather than voluntarily liquidate.

What do you most enjoy about running the business?

Finding interesting projects that are run by interesting reasonable professionals and investing as we do in young people.

What do you least enjoy?

Accounts. There seems always a few pence missing somewhere.

What are your ambitions for the firm?

To at least double turnover and profit within the next 18 months, which I think is achievable. We are heading in the right direction and we are always innovative.

What are your five top priorities?

To appoint one senior management person and two excellent sales people; to get our website fully swinging; to get our literature organised; to ensure that all personnel members are being rewarded well and kept motivated; to extend the premises and enhance the facilities.

What single thing would most help?

A substantial financial input.

What could the Westminster and/or Scottish governments do that would help?

What would help massively is if they made building regulation more in favour of solar energy. We were pleased in December when it was announced that the government has dropped plans to remove solar thermal from the Renewable Heat Incentive support programme. It was fantastic news as the renewable industry, particularly solar has taken some knocks over the last year. This will no doubt lead to increased demand in solar thermal, not just from domestic customers but also from other installers who use our products. This can only mean expansion for us in terms of staff and potentially our premises too.

What was the most valuable lesson that you learned?

Never take a person on their cover, always look what’s behind the façade.

How do you relax?

Sleep, sail, hang out with friends.