Generating Savings

Shirley Paterson’s interest in energy efficiency began some 40 years ago on a visit to The Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales whilst on a family holiday. Today, she’s the proud owner of her own business – nextGenergy – which helps customers cut their energy bills by offering advice and recommendations to implement energy-saving improvements.

Shirley’s own home, where she lives and works, is now an exemplar on both the Energy Saving Trust for Scotland’s Green Homes Network and also on the SuperHomes network. In getting to this point, nextGenergy has had significant support. Business Gateway Fife has been a huge help, providing free advice, workshops, access to women’s development programmes, European Regional Development Funded Expert Help and partial funding support for specialist technical training for assessing non-domestic properties. Skills Development Scotland and the Low Carbon Skills Fund have also been of great support.

nextGenergy has won a range of awards including Kingdom FM Local Hero Best Green Initiative Award (2016); Green Apple Award (2017) for Environmental Practice Transport Category; and was a finalist in the Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland Awards (2015).

Shirley Paterson said: The combined impact that my work has brought to customers in terms of their combined energy bill reduction has amounted to a few million pounds, which is utterly incredible. I just wish I’d started out sooner!

If you would like to find out how Business Gateway Fife can support your business, please contact us on 01592 858333 or email success@bgfife.co.uk