Menu
What do solar panels, pillows, international rugby and a nuclear power plant have in common?
The answer: Ross Miller.
What do solar panels, pillows, international rugby and nuclear power plants have in common? The answer: Ross Miller.
Solar power accounts for just under 5% of all energy produced in the UK, it’s an infinite resource with the potential to power our homes with a minimum impact on the world around us and Ross, the founder of Smartly Energy had set himself a challenge to utilise it.“Solar is the future– we believe that every rooftop in the UK should generate electricity.” It’s fighting talk like this from Ross that sets Smartly ahead of the pack.
Ross grew up in the West Coast of Scotland, a place not exactly known for its bountiful sunlight, so how did he become the face of the next generation of solar?
The story starts with a Gold Scholarship to Edinburgh University, where Ross studied Electronics and Electrical Engineering. Fast forward five years, and he was awarded a Masters in Engineering.
Not content with mastering the art of engineering, Ross set his sights on international rugby. From 2010 to 2013, he travelled the world playing for the Rugby 7’s Scotland team, scoring an impressive 18 tries across 12 tournaments.
Once the jet setting life of an international rugby player lost its shine, Ross honed his engineering skills with jobs across Australia that eventually led him back to home turf on the West coast of Scotland, where he was the Senior Electrical Engineer overseeing the decommissioning of the Hunterston A power station.
Amongst this, Ross was also quietly building a brand of support pillows that took Amazon by storm and gave him a taste for E-commerce. After a successful buyout of his pillow company, he turned his eye to renewable energy.
As we said at the start, there is not a whole lot of sun in the West coast of Scotland, making it a tricky place to launch a solar panel empire. Ross started with chargers for electric cars. With around 1,000,000 electric cars in the UK the market for charging ports and cables is a big one, Ross got his footing in the alternative energy business by producing UK-made charging cables and also installing charging ports for homes and businesses.
After a little bit of investigation into how solar could charge those ports, it wasn’t long before he made the decision to turn Smartly Charging into Smartly Energy and focus squarely on solar.
Any good rugby player knows teamwork makes the dream work. The backs can’t score tries if the forwards don’t set them up with the ball. The same is true in the solar industry, although we are talking about highly engineered photovoltaic cells instead of a ball.
Ross had made it his mission to work with only the best suppliers to provide the best products. Smartly is the official UK partner of Roofit Solar. Roofit’s standing seam metal solar roof panels are revolutionising the solar industry. Acting as both a secure roof and a powerhouse of solar energy creation, these panels do the job and look good while doing it.
Why stop at just Solar, though? The world of alternative energy is constantly innovating and Ross is determined to help spread its reach for a sustainable future. Mitsubishi Air Source Heat Pumps are the latest addition to the Smartly line and can easily be powered by solar power or traditional means. Remember how Smartly began with charging ports, they are still available with Smartly providing all the necessary equipment to enable solar to power them.
Ross’s whole-home approach to alternative energy has come one step closer with the addition of Fox Solar batteries that allow excess solar power to be stored and used when needed.
It’s easy for businesses to make a lot of noise about their green credentials while doing little to back them up. You won’t find that here. Smartly is a certified Carbon Neutral Business. The commitment is more than just an aspiration. Smartly only works with brands based in the UK and Europe to keep their carbon footprint low. What is left over is offset by the planting of new trees.
It’s not just the planet that Ross cares deeply for; he wants the very best for his customers too. Smartly is an accredited Home Insulation & Energy Systems Quality Assured Contractors scheme member. It means that any purchase from Smartly has an insurance-backed guarantee and customers also receive a deposit and stage-payment protection insurance. You can find out more about the HIES code of practice here to see just how rigorous the accreditation is.
So there you have it. From rugby to pillows with stints in the Australian outback thrown in. A unique path to a unique company passionate about renewable energy where form and function co-exist.
So, what is next for Smartly Energy? Perhaps your project? Ross is always keen to point out that each job is treated as a unique project. You won’t find a one-size-fits-all approach to alternative energy here. Instead, each job is thoroughly researched by Ross and his team to provide a custom solution for custom needs.
Whether you are planning your own grand designs style house, are embracing off-grid living or simply want a roof that doubles as your home’s energy source, Ross and Smartly can help you achieve your goal. Give them a call today.
