AES Solar, a renewable energy company which has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development 2022, installed solar panels for Her Majesty The Queen and has industry leading partners such as Tesla, is proud to have its roots in Moray extending all the way back to 1979.
MD George Goudsmit, recently dubbed “The Grandfather of Solar” when he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Solar & Storage Awards 2021, says Moray has much to offer businesses from its sustainability ethos to its business support.
“It’s a healthy environment, there is clean air, sea, forest and lots of walks,” he explained. “The Findhorn Foundation, an international eco-village is here, with a focus on personal development. They hold psychological and development workshops to enhance interaction between humanity and the environment.”
Indeed, AES Solar was founded within the Findhorn Foundation, an educational charity promoting spiritual development. George took over 33 years ago and launched the company as a commercial venture moving to the nearby town of Forres where they continue to operate to this day.
The company specialises in solar installations including solar PV, solar thermal panels and battery storage. The company manufacture their own solar thermal panel, the AES Luminary, which was recently awarded Best Buy status by Ethical Consumer Magazine for solar water heating. To date they are the only manufacturer of flat plate solar thermal collectors in the UK. It has world renowned industry partners such as Tesla & Sunpower and in 2018 was commissioned by the Queen to provide the solar thermal system on Balmoral Estate.
In the last two years alone, AES Solar has doubled in size, expanding and hiring people during lockdown, with the strong backing of local business organisations.
“Businesses are highly encouraged and very often supported by local enterprise boards,” George said. “They promote good working practices and help us in some circumstances in being up to date with everything that’s needed to offer healthy employment. They quite often help us financially.”
Investment in working practices is certainly paying off with the company receiving a host of awards and accolades including Investors in People, Investors in Young People, a SCDI Award for Excellence in Upskilling, Reskilling and Emerging Leaders, and they were recently named a finalist for SME of the Year at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards.
The company draws most of its workforce from the Moray area and the area is highly accessible for businesses.
George said: “It is very easy to get to the area from all around the UK. For example, Inverness is a 1 hour 20 minute flight from London, while we are 20 minutes from the airport.”
