Belectric Uk And Big60Million Ceo Walks The Entrepreneurs Green Carpet

2nd December 2014 BELECTRIC UK and Big60Million founder Toddington Harper is the winner of the 2014 PEA (People, Environment & Achievement) Entrepreneur of the Year Award, presented at a prestigious "green carpet" event on London's South Bank. The PEA awards are designed to recognise "inspirational people who are making a difference to the green agenda". Toddington has been behind a number of pioneering green ventures in the sustainable energy industry. Born into an eco-friendly family, he fondly recalls as a child having a TV powered by a roof mounted wind turbine that would get fuzzy in strong gusts. In 2002 he set up a website to promote fuel cell technology, and in 2006 he co-founded www.LowCarbonEconomy.com, a web platform designed to support the UK in its transition to a sustainable low carbon economy. Toddington Harper is presented with the 2014 PEA Award for Entrepreneur of the Year In 2010, Toddington cofounded BELECTRIC UK - the UK arm of the renowned solar developer and construction company BELECTRIC Group - and since then he has helped grow the company to become a major participant in the UK solar market, employing over 50 people. BELECTRIC UK now manages 125MWp of solar energy systems on commercial rooftops and solar farms, supplying the equivalent demand of close to 40,000 homes with zero-carbon, clean solar energy. This summer, in response to the UK Government's Community Energy Strategy, and the International Panel for Climate Change's report on the need for rapid solar deployment at all scales, Toddington and his team launched the community-benefit solar energy finance company Big60Million. While solar power is extremely popular amongst the general public - supported by 82% of people according to the Department for Energy and Climate Change - there has been concern within Government about local community opposition to individual solar farm projects. Big60Million gives 'power to the people' by allowing local people to invest in local schemes, mitigating their concerns by genuinely involving communities in the rewards of high-quality solar schemes. The first Big60Million project, based around the Willersey Solar Farm in Gloucestershire, offered investors the UK's first certified Climate Bond with one of the best interest rates on the market, paid for five years, and the opportunity to reinvest thereafter. The lb4 million bond offering was over-subscribed by close to lb1 million. Several more Big60Million projects are now in the pipeline. As well as financial benefits, Big60Million is focused on delivering widespread environmental and social benefits from solar farms. As more than 95% of a solar farm remains as grassland, there is the opportunity to create protected nature sanctuaries under and amongst the rows of solar panels to safeguard numerous species of animals under threat from loss of habitat and climate change. This is achieved by planting acres of wild flower meadows to support beehives housed within the solar farms, ensuring a constant source of water is present, and placing numerous animal habitats throughout each site. Big60Million and BELECTRIC UK work closely with environmental partners including the RPSB, the British Beekeepers Association and Flowerscapes to ensure optimum biodiversity enhancement is achieved on a case-by-case basis. Toddington Harper commented: "I am delighted to accept the award of Entrepreneur of the Year. However, what we have achieved with Big60Million is a team effort, so I am grateful to have such a great team. We look forward to continuing to grow this initiative and pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved through intelligent application of solar energy that has a focus on benefitting as many people as possible"." The post BELECTRIC UK and Big60Million CEO walks the entrepreneur's "green carpet" appeared first on BELECTRIC UK.