Trust Renewables launch puts Greater Manchester at the forefront of the green revolution

Trust Renewables director Andy Barrow and Digital Marketing apprentice Matthew Collins

A new social enterprise has been launched in Littleborough, pledging to donate 50% of its profits to local initiatives and improve the planet and the lives of people in Greater Manchester.

Trust Renewables is a renewable energy project developer and technology installer which will enable homeowners and businesses to go greener, and benefit local social and economic initiatives by reinvesting over 50 per cent of its yearly profits to these causes.

Despite being a start-up, Trust Renewables has a wealth of experience within the renewable energy industry, with Managing Director Andy Barrow employing the knowledge he has gained through running successful solar development businesses in the UK and Australia.

The other company directors bring complementary skill-sets and expertise from the UK energy and supporting industries. Trust Renewables’ attention will first be turned towards helping residential and business property owners to reduce their electricity bills and carbon footprints by installing Solar PV on their roofs or land. Those generating energy in this way can utilise their own electricity, but also sell what they don’t use to their energy retailer.

Mr Barrow said: “The climate change narrative is now a mainstream news topic and the public’s environmental concerns are more prevalent than ever before.  People are realising that the best time to act was yesterday, but the next best time is today.

“Trust Renewables aims for Greater Manchester to be at the forefront of the UK’s environmental revolution and simply put, we want to make it easy for people and businesses to do their bit for the planet. However, not only do we want a cleaner and more sustainable city and region, we also want to be part of its journey to becoming a net exporter of green economy skills.

“We are pledging to only employ people from within the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester, therefore investing in and up-skilling the people in our communities.

“We’re extremely proud to launch the company and be able to say that we put people as well as the planet before profit. As members of Social Enterprise UK, we are committed to reinvesting over 50 per cent of our profits to our social, economic and environmental initiatives, and we’re looking forward to carrying out the first Solar PV installations in January to get that pot kickstarted.”

Trust Renewables’ first employee is Matthew Collins, a Rochdale man who was made redundant from his role as a Digital Marketing Executive just weeks before his wedding due date which had also been cancelled due to Covid-19. He has now been employed as Digital Marketing apprentice at Trust Renewables and will be starting his Digital Marketing degree in January at UCLAN.

According to the Solar Trade Association, residential solar has made a clear V-shaped recovery from the national lockdown in Spring, with Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified installations being higher than before lockdown.