At just 22 years old, an average UK citizen will be responsible for the equivalent emissions of greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide which someone in Tanzania will generate in their whole lifetime. We need to reduce our step
Staff Profiles
A Message from the Director
Like everybody, I’m a consumer of electricity. Without it I simply cannot live my life the way I want to live it. But rising utility costs, combined with an increased public awareness of potential energy shortages in the future, have forced me and my family to ask important questions about our own electricity consumption.
Ethical Solar – Outstanding in their field
The time has come for us all to consider where our electricity comes from, and to acknowledge its true cost. Through the Clean Energy Cash Back scheme, Parliament is committed to ensuring that more UK-produced energy comes from green sources by offering a lucrative financial incentive to households who help to generate their own energy.
I have set up Ethical Solar as a means of bringing competitively priced, ethically sourced solar panels into homes across the UK and to enable more of us to contribute towards a greener future. From the paper we use for our invoices to the parts we use for installations and the fuel our vans run on, Ethical Solar is committed to minimizing our own energy use and bringing you the means to do the same.
Ethical Solar is a family company, not a corporate franchise, and as such I am able to focus on finding a solar solution which works for you, and your family as well.
John Whiten – Director
johnwhiten@ethicalsolar.org
Bristol Office Team
Matt Swarbrick – Director
I set up the company with John after working for six years for the BBC Natural History Unit, during which I have seen many of the wonderful parts of the world we are set to lose if we don’t reduce our consumption and try to sort out issues now. I believe very much in not sitting and complaining about our issues but in doing something about them and I firmly believe that solar panels are something that can make a massive difference to the world. Read more about my thought on this here [link to big issue article]
We are also investing our profits from Ethical Solar into setting up a centre of excellence to teach about new low impact ways of sustainable living.
Jenny Stevens – Senior Engineer
Jenny is our voice of reason and has been with us since the start. She is a firm believer in doing things properly and in a no nonsense approach to things. Previous to working for Ethical Solar she worked as an engineer for the Environment Agency where she was involved in their Hydro and Renewable’s projects.
Catherine Roberts – Office Manager
Cat ‘not a problem’ Roberts is in charge of making sure everything happens on time – she books the installer teams and scaffolding and sees all the paperwork is done properly. She will probably be your first source of contact if you have any problems with your install or system.
Josh Smith – PV systems designer
Josh is our problem-solving all-rounder. He spends most of his day generating quotes, ordering stock and filling in the gaps when there is nobody else available. He’s a keen surfer and grew up running barefoot in the valleys of Wales. He’s very proud that he has just built his own solar panel.
Stuart Hardy – PV systems designer
Stuart studied Geography with Environmental management at the University of Exeter, his dissertation was on Peak Oil and he’s a massive fan of Rob Hopkins. He, like the rest of us, thinks solar panels are a very good idea. Stuey works very hard to design effective solar PV systems on PV-Sol and generating quotes on Bristol HQ’s quoting island.
Ginny – Mary poppins of accounts
When we set up Ethical Solar, we hadn’t run a business before and were determined to do things in a fresh, open and honest way. In doing so we built ourselves lots of square wheels. Then we found Ginny who loves things to be neat, orderly and properly. She keeps our accounts and records ship shape and Bristol fashion and we love her for it.
Surveyors
The surveys that aren’t done by John, Matt or Jenny are done by:
Alan Clothier – Surveyor, Farmer, Electrician
Alan is a newer member of the team but was inspired by the way we are doing things so he came to us to get involved. He has spent many years running his own electrical company.
James ‘Another one Kisses the Sun’ Aylward – surveyor in Winchcombe
James is our lovely Winchcombe based surveyor. He’s a good talker so when we say your survey should take a maximum of an hour it probably will take that long. He certainly knows what he’s talking about though. James has first-hand experience with Ethical Solar having chosen us to install a system on his own property. James had an install before he asked to become a surveyor for us. He has now become a bit of an expert in surveying properties for solar power installations.
The Install Team
Our installation team work for Ethical Solar on a daily basis. That way we can be confident that your installation team will do the right, high standard job, everytime.
Here are a few of them:
Tom Lee – Installation Manager
Tom has been with the team since the start. When not installing panels himself he makes sure the installation teams know what’s going on and have what they need. Tom also comes from a horticultural background so if you have a few problems with your plants it’s worth asking whilst he is around!
Keith Jackson – Head PV Electrician
Keith is an Ethical Solar hero! He’s not just a friendly face but a PV guru as well. Keith has over 25 years’ experience in electrics and extensive experience with G83 and G59 solar PV installations. He is also NIC-EIC approved contractor and is an incredibly valuable member of our installation teams. Our customers love him, our installers respect him and the office gets incredibly excited when he phones us- even if he does think we all sound the same!
Chris Tuc – Installation Team Leader
Chris is our installation team leader. He has a strong background in both solar PV and construction. Whether it’s installing solar systems, re-roofing, roof strengthening or chimney removal he has everything it takes to develop the perfect . He’s experienced, he’s careful and he’s a gentle character which makes him popular with our customers too!
Carl Oldham and Guy Pailing – Installer/Roofer
Roofers who listen to Radio 4. Roofers with more experience than either would care to admit, they have been with us since the start and between them have overseen the installation of over 100 solar systems. We love them as they don’t cut corners and they believe that if you have to come back and fix a problem you have the time to do it right the first time.
Jay, Jake and Jo – Installers
We don’t know how we ended up with all these J’s but we are glad we did, they are muscle behind Ethical Solar and are all great lads.
Grimsby Office
Brian Rilat
Brian runs our Grimsby Office (and does a very good job of it). He has overseen nearly as many installs as our Bristol office and by some miracle manages it with just himself and his wife.
Leeds Office
Nick O’Brien
Nick runs our Leeds office, which is now getting busier and busier. He is a staunch believer in attention to detail and because he always gets it right first time, he has never had to return to fix any thing yet!
Southampton Office
Charlotte (Lotts) Whiten
Charlotte runs Ethical Solar South. She’s passionate, she’s motivated and having been a visiting member of Ethical Solar HQ she’s sussed out exactly how to make our organisation run smoothly. Lotts is an effective operator, she makes things happen and she has high standards which are sure to match her new customers down in the South. Watch this space for Ethical Solar South’s web pages!
Matt
Tom
Jenny
John having fun with a solar powered fountain 
