Edmund Burke ::
18th century writer, philosopher and politician,
wrote:
“No-one made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do so little.”
Farsight GreenTec
Providing independent renewable energy advice
throughout Scotland
Our Philosophy
Think
global – act local
FGT’s guiding principle is that the necessary
response to the limitations of the energy, water and other
resources available to mankind and its successors can only come
about when individuals accept personal responsibility for their
unnecessary use, or waste, of them and do what they can to
minimise it.
Whilst cost will always place limitations on
this, ‘value for money’ should not be the primary consideration.
Thousands of generations have loved this beautiful planet before us
but how many more after we have had our way with
it? We are its stewards and our children are its beneficiaries. They will
judge us by our actions. Let’s not knowingly add to the problems they
face. Let’s leave a legacy of which we needn't be ashamed and, by
example, teach them that care for the environment
must be part of our way of life and that waste of resources is no more
acceptable than graffiti, littering or drunken driving.
Our People
Joe
Fergusson ::
Director of FGT, spent 12 years as an Independent Financial
Adviser latterly specialising in ethical and green investment and
developing a passionate interest in environmental sustainability. In
2002 he became South West Scotland’s Development Officer for the
Scottish Community & Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) which is
funded by the Scottish Government and managed by the Energy Saving Trust.
Over the following five years, until forming FGT in July 2007, he
assisted scores of community groups, hundreds of householders and a wide
variety of SMEs and rural estate owners, as well as the Local
Authorities of North, South and East Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway,
in shaping and funding their renewable energy projects. He has acquired
a very broad and deep knowledge of the principles, practicalities and
economics of solar thermal and photovoltaic, hydro, heatpump, biomass,
wind, biogas, biodiesel, community heating and combined heat & power
systems and energy efficient products and design, and regularly lectures
on these subjects and on energy awareness. He also has a strong interest
in, and broad understanding of, sustainable and low impact construction
systems. He is a qualified National Home Energy Rating Surveyor.
He has assisted housing associations with devising new energy
performance standards, had input into the energy-related aspects of the
draft Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan, delivered CPD for teachers,
architects, planners, chartered surveyors and others, assisted with the
setting up of the Ayrshire Woodfuel Forum and a local Woodfuel producer
group and helped organise successful fairs, conferences and seminars.
His work with community groups involved scoping of opportunities,
basic specification of systems, assistance with tendering and with
planning applications, completion of grant applications and case studies
and general project support.
He is an enthusiastic proponent of sustainable development and home
energy generation and has run a small biodiesel production business, Fat
Power Ltd, from home since 2004. He is supported by his wife, Emma, and
is building a network of engineering, electrical, electronics, design
and other specialists to add depth to the FGT service.