Light on energy use

Cambridge-based Green Energy Options (

) has entered a £800,000 funding round to further develop its range of energy-efficiency monitors for buildings.

Thames Valley Investment Network (TVIN) invested £250,000, which was matched by the Bank of Scotland Corporate’s Growth Capital team. TVIN is a business angel network that helps growing companies to raise funding and operates in Reading and the Thames Valley. The remainder of the money was supplied by individual investors.

GEO manufactures sophisticated monitoring devices that help individuals view patterns in their energy use.

Patrick Caiger-Smith, chief executive of GEO, said: ‘Our products can provide real-time meaningful information about energy use, right down to individual rooms and appliances, that clearly demonstrates where and when people are spending most on their energy.’

The company’s monitoring devices aim to address behaviour change, energy wastage and appliance efficiency to reduce overall energy usage.

Caiger-Smith added: ‘If you can persuade people to change the way they do something - such as doing their laundry at a lower temperature - then cost savings of between 10 per cent and 20 per cent are possible.