CARBON REWIND I
Hertfordshire-based Carbon Rewind is on a mission to improve the nation’s energy bills, by providing the very best energy-efficiency solutions. Co-Owners & Directors Mike Pidgeon and Andrew Clifford discussed the latest company developments, during an in-depth interview with Inside Sustainability. Report by Imogen Ward.
Since entering the market in 2019, Carbon Rewind has dedicated its time to improving the UK’s existing building stock and reducing customers’ energy bills. In a time when electricity prices are reaching astronomical highs, this service is more crucial than ever.
“Andrew and I felt that the UK’s existing building stock was the most important factor to consider when reducing the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, and companies weren’t doing enough to spotlight that,” said Co-Owner & Director Mike Pidgeon. “That’s why we decided to fill the gap by establishing Carbon Rewind, and it was a resounding success.”
After tapping into a largely ignored area of the market, Carbon Rewind was able
to quadruple its turnover in just one year, offering broken boiler replacements under the Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme.
From there the company branched out into insulating – providing customers with underflooring and cavity wall insulation –and continued to expand quickly, adding more services to its remit along the way.
Growth unlocked
In 2022, Carbon Rewind’s capabilities grew once more with the addition of solar panel installation, a hugely popular service that led to some unexpected but incredibly exciting opportunities.
“In 2023, we were recognised as the Solar PV Installer of the Year, and it happened not long after we began offering the service,”
explained Co-Owner & Director Andrew Clifford. “At the time, we were involved with some very large schemes that meant we were installing around 70 solar systems a week, and that really enabled us to get our name out there and become a big player within the segment.”
“Solar panels are now one of our two fastest-growing installation categories,” added Mr Pidgeon. “Alongside heat pumps, they rank among our most frequently requested systems. In fact, many clients ask us to install both, as they complement each other exceptionally well.”
With so much success on the cards, it is no wonder that the company felt the need to expand its physical presence. In 2023, Carbon Rewind leased a brandnew warehouse in Wokingham and opened a further location up in Cornwall in 2024. These developments have been essential to ensuringa top-quality service spread nationwide.
“The new office in Cornwall was an incredibly exciting development, because it enabled us to expand our capacity,” explained Mr Clifford. “Not only did it give us the opportunity to construct a brand-new
sustainable and energy efficient building, but it also allowed us to provide new full-time jobs within the local area. We are really proud of how this project turned out, and we could not be happier with the team of people we have working with us.”
Every move taken by Carbon Rewind is done with its customers and its environmental impact in mind. Given the company’s strong focus on helping customers improve efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint, it was only natural for Carbon Rewind to extend that commitment to its own internal operations.
It quickly became clear, however, that without knowing its own emissions, the company would not have any solid foundations to actively improve upon. In light of this, Carbon Rewind began measuring its emissions in 2024 and expects to have a broader understanding of its carbon footprint later this year.
“We are using a third-party measuring tool called FutureTracker to better understand the impacts of our activities,” said Mr Clifford. “In 2024, we also began our journey to becoming B Corp certified and are looking into gaining ISO 14001 as well.
“These are all necessary steps we need to take to better align ourselves with our commitment to sustainability.”
A caring attitude
Carbon Rewind takes its commitments to its customers seriously, making sure to offer as much support to its customers as possible. The company guides them through every step of the process and clearly explains how to correctly use the systems.
“A large portion of our customers are in the older, more vulnerable demographic,” explained Mr Pidgeon. “So, ensuring the appropriate aftercare is in place is essential.”
The company also partners with a variety of schemes to help make the process more accessible and affordable for everyone. Having started the business with the support of the Hertfordshire Warmer Homes scheme, government funding has become a cornerstone of Carbon Rewind’s offering.
“We do a lot of work through the Government’s Energy Company Obligations (ECO) scheme,” said Mr Pidgeon. “That has always been a key scheme for us to get involved with, and we are finding that as time goes on, the amount of government funding being injected into domestic retrofit is increasing. Because of this, we have been able to get involved with a lot of different schemes, including the Home Upgrade Grant, the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, and we are very excited about the Warm Homes Grant which is being implemented this year.”
The incoming scheme will be available to households with an income of £36,000 or less that live in houses with an EPC rating between D and G. Those eligible will be entitled to receive up to £30,000 split across various energy efficiency upgrades.
This grant has the potential to help thousands of households across the UK, the only problem is, people are often unaware of what is available to them.
“These grants are great, but they aren’t advertised enough, and they just aren’t very well known to the public,” revealed Mr Pidgeon. “We’d love to see a stronger
focus placed on these initiatives, to really ensure the message is getting out there to everyone that needs the support.
“Carbon Rewind regularly engages with the local business community in order to try and push for a greater use of these schemes, and when we are working within people’s properties, we always encourage them to utilise the grants and tell their friends and family about them too.”
A
future filled with potential
The company intends to keep spreading the word on government grants as it makes its way through 2025, all while increasing its capabilities and growing its business.
“No matter what, the government will continue to invest in the housing stock, and from that point of view, we are very well positioned within an industry that’s unlikely to stop growing,” said Mr Pidgeon. “Carbon Rewind intends to expand its operations geographically and focus in on major projects now that we have proven we can deliver them successfully.
“Following that, our next step will be to follow the natural progression into commercial buildings, because everything we do in a domestic setting can be scaled up easily to meet the needs of much larger infrastructures, such as schools.”
“We look forward to being able to put our expertise to work in order to help more people across the UK,” concluded Mr Clifford. “We have met countless people in need over the years, and our improvements have really had a positive impact on their lives. That is something we will continue to prioritise going forward.”
