Making a difference
Robert Gerald updates us on the Freedom Group’s expansion plans in the renewables sector
Primarily known for its work with electrical connections and distribution networks, since its foundation in 1996 the Freedom Group has become an established name in civil and electrical engineering. With regard to renewable energy, the company has been involved in the sector for a number of years, but the 2009 acquisition of multidisciplinary engineering firm Agrilek has enabled the group to significantly expand its service provision in this sector. With Agrilek now under the umbrella of Freedom’s Engineering Services Division, the organisation is able to offer a more comprehensive set of services to a wider customer base.
Speaking to Energy Engineering, James Farman, the group’s Commercial Manager, explains that Freedom is now equipped to single-handedly manage the construction of a renewable energy project: “With regard to hydro schemes, major solar installations, and wind farms we put together a complementary set of services that can do everything from searching out the right pieces of land on which to build these assets; supervising the deals to acquire or lease such sites; building power lines; determining where the closest points of connection are; working with the local network to formulate the most economically advantageous connection for projects right through to full design for civil and electrical contracting, construction for civil and electrical infrastructure, and network connection. We will even provide service contracts managing high voltage assets, the grounds-keeping; mowing lawns and painting buildings.”
Without being a direct investor, Freedom aims to support a developer throughout their project. Farman believes that having empathy with developers is an important factor in Freedom’s approach to business. “We are aligned with their views,” he says. “The actual construction of a project is something that you just want to run smoothly with a trusted company to get it distributing or generating power.”
Moving on to think more generally about the onshore wind industry, Farman suggests that, as far as the technology is concerned, the sector is probably mature. “Hopefully,” he adds, “this means that the costs of installation will start to reduce, which will, I think, keep the industry buoyant.”
“I think there is still a great appetite for developing onshore wind and the subsidies are still good enough to make the projects pay. However, a lot of the resources that would be available to develop onshore wind are going to go offshore.”
Another symptom of the maturing onshore wind sector is the fact that a number of wind farms are now in need of updating, repowering, or decommissioning altogether. Freedom has been involved in a number of repowering projects; the group’s particular area of experience is required because it is not just the turbine itself that might need replacing – some of the older transformers tend to be inefficient and need to be swapped for more efficient technology.
Farman is keen to emphasise Freedom’s role as a thought-leader in safety and training relating to the high voltage infrastructure associated with both onshore and offshore wind. “We are currently sitting on the safety panel for Renewables UK; they are looking into harmonised safety rules for wind farms because at the moment there isn’t actually any overriding safety policy, it’s just general policy for private networks,” he explains.
“With all the turbines that are going to be offshore, there is going to be a need to have a unified safety rule to allow people to work safely – and that’s something we’re very focused on. At our training centre in Northamptonshire, we’re going to be looking to put together a package which trains people on the types of electrical equipment that an engineer will come across. This is not to try and tie things up in legislation, it is just making sure that things are safe as standard.”
Underlying Freedom’s work is a belief that a long-term relationship with a single, comprehensive service provider is the most beneficial mode of managing not just onshore wind developments, but all electrical engineering projects for the renewables sector. “It helps with everyone’s goals of maintaining project quality while reducing costs”.
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