About the company
About our company
Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Limited is a specialist stockholder, supplier and installer of wind turbines ranging in size from 1.5kW to 100kW. From our base in South Gloucestershire, we install turbines across the Country.
What we do
We share our specialist, experienced and extensive knowledge of wind energy with you, to enable you to make an informed choice about siting a wind turbine on your land.
We check wind speeds and complete a thorough site survey before supplying and installing any wind turbines. Our ‘full service’ approach provides assistance with the planning process, discussions with the grid supplier, support with financing the project, experienced installation and commissioning.
Director Christine Griffiths says, “It is essential when installing a wind turbine to site it in the correct place. Turbines are manufactured for different conditions, some are designed to catch free-flowing wind, others deal with turbulent air and some are for outlying locations where connection to the national grid is not possible. It is not a case of ‘one size fits all’, rather which turbine best suits my needs, the wind speed and the geography of my land?” Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) supplies and installs a range of turbines so that it can guide its customers through the process of installation and ensure they have the right turbine, in the right place to generate the maximum amount of power.
We installed the first Endurance Wind Power 50kW in Cornwall, in Scotland and in Leicestershire and have installed many more since.
On 9 April 2010 Kevin Heaney, VP Worldwide Sales & Marketing of Endurance Wind Power said, “After a close review of over forty applicants, we feel we have engaged the very best distributors to sell and service this market. These distributors will be signing up local dealers to provide reach into all corners of the market and ensure a high level of responsiveness and service.” Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Limited was one of the first 4 distributors to be appointed in the UK and we remain both distributors and installers.
This website has 3 progressive parts:
- Getting started – wind speed requirements, suitable locations and site survey.
- Buying a turbine – what size of turbine, which manufacturer, planning permission and grants/funding.
- Installation & beyond – installing, commissioning, insuring, maintaining.
Why it all began!
Our Company was launched as a direct result of the Directors’ own experience of siting a wind turbine at their farmhouse home: as early adopters of wind turbines Christine & Peter Griffiths found little information available to help them with the process. Over the past 5 years, Christine & Peter have become recognised experts in the micro wind energy arena.
Their knowledge of harnessing wind power is second to none and both have spoken on the subject at a wide variety of venues including Exeter University, the National Homebuilding and Renovating Show, Bristol Airport and locations in Gloucestershire, Cornwall, Wiltshire and Dorset for the Country Landowners Association.
Who does what
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Director and Owner, Peter Griffiths: Griffiths is a traditional Welsh surname, and Peter’s roots are firmly in Wales. His father, John Griffiths, was born in Trehebert in the Rhondda Valley, where Peter’s grandfather worked in the mines. It was in Trehebert that John Griffiths met and married Mair Roderick who was the daughter of a Methodist Minister from Talybont. In 1935 the family left Wales and Peter was educated at Thornbury Grammer School near Bristol which left him with an entrepreneurial spirit and a zest for life. He has been self-employed since he was 20 years old and has established and then sold a number of businesses including Ava-Yellaskip (a waste disposal company) which he sold to a PLC in 1989. In 1990 Peter started the AAA rated business Avon Cobblestone Limited: Pete remains a partner in the business although his time is increasingly being spent with wind turbines! In October 2011, Pete became the UK’s first Endurance Wind Power ‘Approved E-Series Installation Supervisor’. |
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Director and Owner, Christine Griffiths: Christine Griffiths comes from a family of Cornish farmers and was brought up on the farm in Veryan on the Roseland Peninsula and so is no stranger to the challenges faced by today’s farmers. Her father, John Bennett and her grandfather Samuel Eva Bennett were dairy, arable & sheep farmers and many members of her family still live and farm in Cornwall. Christine’s mother, Joyce, was born in South Africa to Cornish parents and she returned to Redruth when very young. Her mother went on to become the first ‘female’ teller in Barclays Bank in Truro – and Christine has inherited her mother’s drive to push the boundaries! The youngest of four daughters Christine had a career with Trust House Forte where she worked in London and at THF hotels around the South West and finally settled in Bristol where she met and married Peter in 1983. Christine was winner of the Gloucestershire ‘Women in Business’ Rising Star Award in March 2010. The couple has 2 children – Vickie works for a Charity in London and Jess is beginning her studies for a Certificate in Theology at Trinity College, part of Bristol University. At Foxhole Farm there are Tamworth pigs, chickens and an orchard of traditional varieties of English apples. |
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Kate Forss: Kate is Office Manager, and mainly deals with payroll and the accounts. She has been with Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) since 2007. |
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Jenn Riando: Jenn is Business Process Co-ordinator, which means that she picks up all the pieces dropped by everybody else!. |
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Pauline Edgington: Pauline owns Marketing Edge which is based in Stroud. She is responsible for marketing strategy and plans, advertising, copywriting and press releases. |
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Jeff Graham: Jeff owns Xor Software, a creative software design company based in Cirencester. At Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Limited, he is responsible for the web site and the Company’s general IT requirements. |
Industry memberships
Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS)
Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Limited is a certified MCS installer (MCS 1017 – Micro Wind).
The MCS certificates microgeneration technologies used to produce electricity and heat from renewable sources.
The MCS is also linked to financial incentives which include Feed in Tariffs.
MCS itself is an EN45011 Scheme which is focussed on ensuring the quality of renewable technology installations and products. It has been developed over the last three years and is an industry led and funded scheme. MCS currently has 10 different Technical Working Groups. The MCS Technical Working Groups develop the MCS Standards and Scheme documents which are based on international and European standards already in existence. As well as this, many members of Technical Working Groups sit on European committees to develop the European Standards. This helps to harmonise MCS with existing EN Standards and ensure that the MCS Standards and Scheme documents are all kept up to date accordingly.
RENEWABLEUK
RenewableUK is the trade and professional body for the UK wind and marine renewables industries. Formed in 1978, and with 682 corporate members, RenewableUK is the leading renewable energy trade association in the UK.
Its primary purpose is to promote the use of wind, wave and tidal power in and around the UK. It acts as a central point for information for its membership and as a lobbying group to promote wind energy and marine renewables to government, industry, the media and the public. It researches and finds solutions to current issues and generally acts as the forum for the UK wind, wave and tidal industry, and it has an annual turnover in excess of four million pounds.
RenewableUK has published their charter, which sets out how the wind energy industry is delivering significant benefits to the UK and its economy, and how it intends to deliver continued investment which will help the UK to prosper in the future. Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) ltd has also signed up to the Charter. Click on the PDF icon below to download a copy.
RENEWABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATION (REA)
The Renewable Energy Association was established in 2001 to represent British renewable energy producers and promote the use of sustainable energy in the UK. The REA was called the Renewable Power Association until October 2005.
It represents a wide variety of organisations, including generators, project developers, fuel and power suppliers, equipment producers and service providers. Members range in size from major multi-nationals to sole traders. Its membership topped 650 during 2010, making it the largest renewable energy industry association in the UK.
The REA’s main objective is to secure the best legislative and regulatory framework for expanding renewable energy production in the UK. It undertakes policy development and provides input to government departments, agencies, regulators, NGOs and others.
Awards
In March 2010, Christine Griffiths won the ‘Rising Star Gloucestershire Business Woman of the Year’ Award.
Our charities
Each year Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Ltd and Peter and Christine Griffiths nominate a charity to help and support.
In 2011 the charity was Macmillan Cancer Care and for a number of years before that the company sponsored an Orphanage in Uganda called the Gangama Babies Home. The money was sent to the church and all was used on the babies. Christine and Peter’s final gift to the Orphanage was a “cow” so that they could access fresh milk.
This year, we're supporting three charities with a unique scheme :
Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Limited, a specialist supplier and installer of wind turbines based near Bristol is using wind energy to provide support for its three nominated charities during 2012. The Alzheimer’s Society (National charity), Help for Heroes (National charity) and Beating Bowel Cancer (Cornwall) will all benefit from the Company’s charitable donations.
Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Limited is an approved UK supplier and installer of the Endurance Wind Power 50kW wind turbine and for every turbine the Company installs during 2012 it will donate £250 to one of its nominated charities. As each turbine is installed, the owner will be asked to select which of the three charities they would like to receive the £250.
Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Limited installs turbines across the UK and has installed more Endurance 50kW wind turbines in the South West of England than any other company. Director, Christine Griffiths says, “These charities support families and individuals through very difficult times, providing information, emotional support and practical advice when needed. Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Limited is delighted to be supporting these worthwhile causes.” A cheque for £250 will be sent to B My Charity for the nominated charity as each wind turbine is installed.
There are currently 750,000 people in the UK suffering from a form of dementia and 1 in 18 people across the UK are affected by bowel cancer. Help for Heroes offers practical support for injured members of the Armed Forces and their families.
B My Charity
BMyCharity is an online donation site that Help for Heroes own: it is comparable to Just Giving and runs on 0% commission. We have our own donation page on BMyCharity and you can visit it here : http://www.bmycharity.com/AeolusPowerWindEnergyLimited
| Nomination made by | Date | Help for Heroes | Alzheimer's Society | Beating Bowel Cancer |
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| Mr Forbes-Adam | 31.01.12 | £250 | ||
| Mr Ian McGhie | 08.02.12 | £250 | ||
| Mr & Mrs Allison | 01.03.12 | £250 | ||
| Mr Colin Teagle | 02.03.12 | £250 | ||
Help for Heroes
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The charity Help for Heroes was launched in October 2007 in order to provide direct, practical support to those wounded, sick or injured in the line of duty since 9/11. All the funds raised to date are either allocated or spent on the direct, practical support of those wounded in the current conflicts. To date, H4H has funded a variety of projects including the £8m Rehabilitation Complex at Headley Court, a new £3.5m treatment centre for Combat Stress, adaptive adventure training through the Battle Back programme and the creation of a £6m Quick Reaction Fund to support individuals in need. |
Help for Heroes' 5 Key Messages...
- It’s about ‘the blokes’: those men and women of our Armed Forces who have been wounded in the service of our country since 9/11.
- H4H provides direct, practical support for our wounded. We fund projects and initiatives that make a real difference to the lives of our wounded heroes.
- We do not seek to criticise or be political. We just want to help and we work closely with the Army, Navy and RAF to provide support where it is most needed.
- ‘Money in, money out’. We pride ourselves on our 'Money In and Money Out' policy that ensures that every penny you raise is spent or allocated to the direct, practical support of our men and women of the Armed Forces whose lives are affected in the line of duty.
- It's about doing your bit, no matter how big or small. Every fundraiser is special to us and can make a real difference, so please keep going!
For further information on Help for Heroes, please visit their web site, at http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk
For our work with Help For Heroes, we are delighted to say that we have received the following ‘thank you’ letter :
Thank you letter from Help For Heroes
Beating Bowel Cancer
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In 2012 Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Limited will be supporting the charity ‘Beating Bowel Cancer’. The charity’s aim is to raise awareness of symptoms, promote early diagnosis and encourage open access to treatment for those affected by bowel cancer. |
For further information on our chosen charity, please visit their web site.
Karen Cock, Lisa Griffiths and Siobhan Harvey of Poldark Ward at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro will be raising money and awareness for Beating Bowel Cancer by taking part in a 10 day trek through the Kalimantan jungle in Borneo - Trek Borneo 2012. Click on the PDF icons below to view a PDF which explains more.
- Help Beat Bowel Cancer - poster
Sponsorship
HMRT Golden Cross
Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Ltd of Bristol is delighted to be a sponsor of the Rescue Tug HMRT Golden Cross, which is being supported by the Scottish Government to promote the use of alternative energy.
An ex-escort to the Royal Yacht Britannia, Golden Cross is one of the first diesel geared tugs ever built and a vessel that has a remarkable record. In recent years the ship has been used as an educational platform teaching children about their maritime heritage and advising them on Safety at Sea. The ship has also been used to help servicemen & women to identify how what they do supports local communities – highlighting military Search & Rescue services and disaster relief operations.
It is expected that the tug will be operational from October 2011, will be based in Loch Long, Argyll and Bute and will spend the next 3 years travelling around the Western Islands and the North West coast of Scotland visiting communities in support of the Scottish government's efforts to promote alternative energy. The vessel will continue to promote Safety at Sea. Other sponsors include Whyte & Mackay.
There's more information about Golden Cross on the associated web site.
On 12th December, we received the following progress report on the Golden Cross :
100mph winds have been battering Scotland over the past month and so we have been constantly looking after the ship in rain, snow and high seas. Tomorrow morning Golden Cross is being moved from Holy Loch (which is rather exposed to the adverse weather we are now experiencing) by GSS Marine Services of Rhu to DRB Marine's pier at Rosneath: the next loch down from here - near to the Faslane nuclear submarine base. The tug will then sit on the pier at Rosneath over the Christmas New Year holiday period: a mooring position offering far better protection from winter storms. A new permanent mooring is being laid down for her in Loch Long in February: the home base so to speak.
In March, she will enter the dry dock on the Clyde for a complete refit prior to her commencing operations end April. Currently - the first event scheduled is at the Crowne Plaza Hotel pontoon, Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre in Glasgow on 5th May 2012.
'Aeolus' - University of Bristol's wind energy car
Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Ltd is pleased to sponsor the University of Bristol's entry into the international ‘wind energy’ car race. Teams from around the world challenge each other at an international wind energy car race, which was held last August in Den Helder, Holland. The UK's only entry in the event, Racing AEOLUS, is a team from the University of Bristol's Faculty of Engineering. It was Bristol's second time at the competition.
Racing AEOLUS is a unique competition bringing together teams from across the globe to race their custom designed wind-powered vehicles. During the competition, the vehicles are raced under a variety of conditions to determine which can harness the energy of the wind most efficiently.
Dr Dave Drury, Senior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, said: “One of the key benefits of Racing AEOLUS is getting students interested in renewable energy. The race is very rewarding for the students involved, as it gives them the opportunity to work alongside engineers from other disciplines and to gain valuable practical experience. We aim to build on last year's success and we hope that Racing AEOLUS becomes a flagship project at Bristol for many years to come.”
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Conferences/Seminars/Lectures
1. Generating money from the FiT – Conference 29.9.09
The long awaited arrival of the new Green Energy Cash Back Scheme, or Feed in Tariff (FiT) announced on 1 February 2010 came as welcome news for owners of wind turbines installed on or after 15th July 2009 as they will qualify for the financial benefits offered. Turbine owners prior to that date will not benefit anywhere near as much from the new FiT proposals. Christine Griffiths has been leading the campaign to change this inequality.
In an attempt to sway the Government and gain FiT benefits for existing turbine owners Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) sponsored a high level national conference in Bristol on 29 September 2009. This successful ‘Generating Business from the Feed in Tariff’ conference was run in partnership with Regen SW and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Christine felt that it was vital for Aeolus Power to take on this pivotal role, and in front of an invited audience she spoke directly to Stephen Souza of DECC to convey the grievances felt by the early adopters of wind turbines.
2. Successful seminars across the South West
During 2009 Christine Griffiths took part in a series of successful seminars and lectures around the South West designed to provide information and guidance about the installation of a wind turbine. She spoke at the ‘Questions you need answers to’ renewable energy consumer seminars in Cirencester, Petherton, Dorchester, Chippenham and Truro and was invited to speak to an invited audience at the Centre for Energy and the Environment in Exeter.
3. Speaking to members of the Country Land Owners Association
Both Peter and Christine Griffiths have used their knowledge of harnessing wind power to speak at a wide variety of venues around the South West and Wales, including locations in Gloucestershire, Cornwall, Wiltshire and Dorset for the Country Landowners Association.
Customer feedback
In the left sidebar, we've included Customer Feedback forms. We sent out a questionnaire to a number of our clients and asked permission to use their replies on our web site.
Some of the comments we received about owning a turbine are :
(a) the best thing about owning a wind turbine:
“producing power” (M Bergius)
“good PR and the FiT payments” (G Bowring)
“constant reminder of the need to reduce energy consumption” (D Morgan)
(b) customer service provided by Aeolus Power (Wind-Energy) Ltd
“good, attentive, efficient” (M Bergius)
“Excellent. Christine (Griffiths) was always most helpful and available to discuss things on the telephone” (G Bowring)
“very helpful and swift” (D Morgan)
What does our name mean?
Aeolus was a minor God in Greek mythology and lived on the floating island of Aeolia. He was visited by Odysseus and his crew in the Odyssey. He gave hospitality for a month and provided for a west wind to carry them home. Unfortunately he also provided a gift of a bag containing each of the four winds, which Odysseus's crew members opened just before their home was reached. They were blown back to Aeolia, where Aeolus refused to provide any further help. (Odyssey X, 2; Virgil I, 52).
[source: Wikipedia]
We like the association with the four winds.
