Green energy expert Ron Fox meets the Cabinet

Green energy expert Ron Fox took his message to the very top when he spoke to members of the Government while they were on an away day last Thursday in Stoke-on-Trent. 

Ministers swapped Westminster for Middleport Pottery where they held a regional Cabinet meeting as “a prime example of levelling up in action.”

More than 100 business leaders, including Ron, of Noreus Ltd at Keele University, Staffordshire, were invited along beforehand for two hours of informal talks with the MPs.

“It was very successful,” said Ron, “They were very attentive and wanted to hear our views and ideas about developing renewable energy.”

He was able to have one-to-one meetings with the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson; the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak; the Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi, and the Chief Secretary to the Treasurer, Simon Clarke. 

Ron asked the Prime Minister why the UK was importing Chinese air source heat pumps rather than using British thermodynamic solar assisted heat pumps which were cheaper, more efficient and would support our own industries.

Boris Johnson asked Ron for his business card and said he would look into this and come back to him.

On the theme of green energy Ron described how the pottery industry could reuse their energy for free further down the production line.

He pointed out that the heat generated in the kilns could be captured and reused as green energy later on in the processes involved in finishing the cups, plates and dishes.

He then discussed with the Chancellor of the Exchequer the problem of small businesses and industrial units not being able to get enough energy from the National Grid to expand their businesses.

Ron suggested to Rishi Sunak that one solution would be to encourage more wind turbines and more industrial batteries to store the excess power.

Another answer would be to promote solar panels more. He said the problem at the moment is that they can only sell their excess electricity back to National Grid at 4 or 5p a unit.

But through Power Payment Plans this energy on the open market can fetch up to 40p a unit. 

And by signing long-term deals this would give businesses the confidence to borrow money to buy land and put in acres of solar panels as they knew they would get their money back and make a profit, all of which would benefit the UK.

Moving on to the Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi, Ron discussed increasing the teaching of renewable energy in schools and to develop the skills pupils needed to find green jobs after they had finished their training.

Finally, Ron spoke to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and asked Simon Clarke, MP, if the Government could encourage the banks to help promote green policies.

He said that around half of the banks’ money was invested in housing and he wondered if they could use their influence to ensure that these buildings were upgraded and could not be resold until they had, as a minimum, a Grade C Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

“Just improving the insulation in these buildings would have a huge effect on cutting carbon dioxide emissions and reducing our carbon footprint,” added Ron.

He concluded: “It was a very satisfying meeting and the Cabinet members could see the benefits of renewable energy and how important it is to all our futures.

“I now hope all these words and ideas can be turned into action.”

For more information on green energy, call Ron on 01782 756995.