NEWS
ECA has welcomed the new UK Government’s pledges to support clean energy, planning reform, a programme of house building and investment in infrastructure. Qualified electricians should be placed at the heart of the net-zero transition, said the electrotechnical and engineering services trade body, after the Labour Party secured a landslide victory in the General Election on July 4. New Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged to build 1.5 million homes in the next five years, while new Energy Secretary Ed Miliband reiterated pledges to boost energy independence and cut bills through clean power by 2030. Andrew Eldred, Chief Operating Officer of ECA, said, “Businesses in the electrotechnical sector will welcome the swift actions taken by the new government, with the prospect of economic growth promising busy order books after months of flatlining.” Protective legislation is needed to combat poor payment practices, alongside a stronger skills pipeline to support entry into the electrical sector. ECA works closely with its members, industry partners and government to raise the profile of electrical contractors in the transition to net zero carbon. www.eca.co.uk Positioning electricians at heart of housing, clean energy pledges
L-R: Niall Curran, GM of Westco, Laura Dillon, Partner at Waterland, and Ollie Bellew, Chief Executive of Bellew Electrical.
Bellew acquires Wesco in strategic partnership deal
Private equity-backed business Bellew Electrical has reached an agreement to buy Louth-based Wesco Electrical for an undisclosed sum. Waterland Ireland announced it had acquired a majority stake in Bellew Electrical, which operates branches in Drogheda, Dundalk, Castleblayney and Crossmaglen, in May. Bellew has retained its family business structure with Ollie Bellew as chief executive. Westco represents the first acquisition in a strategic expansion plan for Bellew, which is a member of the Irish Electrical Buying Group. The Owens family is exiting its stake in Wesco, which will also leave independent electrical
wholesale group Fegime Ireland. “With Wesco’s strong presence in Drogheda, Navan, Newbridge and Naas, and our combined expertise and resources, we are poised to drive substantial expansion and innovation in the electrical wholesale market,” said Ollie. “Together, we are committed to delivering exceptional value and service to our customers across Ireland.” Niall Curran, General Manager of Westco, said, “We look forward to leveraging our combined strengths to achieve greater success and deliver exceptional value to our customers.” www.waterlandpe.com
New non-profit aims to support the adoption of electrified heat
A new independent not-for-profit organisation has been created to accelerate the adoption of electrified heat solutions through policy in the UK. Founders of Ambient include Baroness Bryony Worthington, lead author of the UK’s Climate Change Act, and Dr Jan Rosenow, programme director at the Regulatory Assistance Project. It will support policymakers and industry by providing data on the electrified heat transition, supporting the development of transformational policy and accelerating the drive to a
thriving net zero economy. Power can be handed back to the public through high-paying local jobs and establishing security from price rises driven by an unstable world. Irene Omaswa, Founder and Chair of Ambient, said, “As an independent, not-for-profit organisation, we want to collaborate with the whole sector and for the data we
Consumers installing solar can save on average £440-£660, rising to £1,250-£2,100 per year by adding a heat pump, according to Ambient.
UK to become a clean energy superpower with lower energy bills for families and businesses.” www.projectambient.org
collate to benefit the market as a whole. “By doing this, we want to contribute to creating an enabling environment for the
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