About Sustainable Energy Engineering Limited.

A family-run business leading the way in renewable energy since 2006.

Sustainable Energy Engineering Ltd is a family-run company set up in the summer of 2006 by husband-and-wife team Stephen and Haley Fairless. The renewable industry was still in its infancy. It was a complex field to join, with few suppliers, no government backing and very little public awareness of the possibilities for renewable energy systems that could work in the UK climate. Potential clients constantly asked Stephen two questions..."Does it work in the UK?" and "Do you have it on your own house?". Thankfully, nearly two decades later, with solar panels fitted to roofs all over the UK, everyone knows that solar works in the UK!

With hard work and determination, we have grown our client base and are now well established in the region, moving first to an office on the North East Business Innovation Centre in Sunderland in 2009 then again in January 2011 to larger premises at Glover Business Park, Washington. In 2022, we could purchase our current, larger business premises. These are located on the busy Armstrong Business Park in Washington (fittingly named after Lord William George Armstrong, born locally at Shieldfield, Newcastle and who went on to become an environmentalist 150 years in advance of his time, advocating water and solar power as substitutes for fossil fuels. He built Cragside in Northumberland, the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity).

Powering progress: Stephen and Hayley's journey in advancing renewable energy and sustainable development.

Stephen started life as a contracting electrician, and with the need to find more stable work for a growing family, he went on to study higher electrical and electronic engineering, gaining an ONC at Sunderland and an HND at South Tyneside College. He then went on to complete an Electronic & Renewable Energy Degree with the Open University, and it was here that he realised that renewable energy systems would work in the UK and decided to set up the business. After completing his degree, he completed courses in Solar Electric, Solar Thermal, Unvented systems, Water Regs, Energy efficiency and many manufacturers' courses. He now pushes this mindset for continued learning with his workforce. All of our engineers are trade qualified and follow the JTL Apprenticeship scheme, and then support this with specialised training in Solar PV, Solar Thermal, H&S and Working at Height.

Haley has a background in office management and customer service and re-trained as a Domestic Energy Assessor in 2007 and a Green Deal Advisor in 2012. Hayley now manages a team of surveyors for a large national housing company, although she is still involved in major decisions as a company director.

Our expanding solar team: Achieving new milestones with expertise and dedication.

Stephen and Hayley were joined by their son Adam in 2014. After attending college, he preferred working in a more practical field. Adam has gained masses of experience and qualifications in Electrical, Solar PV and Solar Thermal and is now a central part of the company's technical team as Installation Manager. He also manages most of the G99 applications the company submits for larger installations.

In 2019, their youngest son, Ben, joined the company after leaving school. He started part-time whilst also attending Sunderland College on an Electrical Foundation Course. Having decided that whilst wanting to be proficient at the electrical side of the Solar business, he prefers being at the cutting edge of the Solar business, installing the panels themselves.

Ben was joined in the same year by their oldest son Luke, who had been studying Business Management at Leeds University. Luke first gained six months of experience installing panels to understand the product, and now, as Office Manager, he looks after the office and business administration, as well as fielding technical enquiries from both current and future customers.

Ben is assisted by experienced and proficient Karen Hills, who joined the team in 2022. Karen had over 30 years of experience in business administration, working for Volvo for over 24 years, and was able to bring her skills and knowledge to our business. This is very well received as she sets a professional tone in the office.

Finally, Reece joined the company in 2022. After attending 6th form college and working part-time in his local working men's club and then full-time on the line at a factory producing medical instruments, as he wanted to make his way in the workplace, Reece was eventually persuaded to join the family business. He now wishes he'd joined when he was younger and is progressing greatly.

Both Ben and Reece started their training on site, as well as following the JTL Electrical apprenticeship route, which they will add to with Solar industry-specific qualifications.

Like any company or industry, certain staff members come and go, and we have been assisted by a number of both office and field staff over the years, to whom we are very grateful. To our benefit, we were able to poach Josh Nelson from another electrical company in 2022. Josh continues to go from strength to strength in learning the intricacies of Solar Electrical and battery systems and installing panels.

Michael Richardson, was a rolling stone that returned to us after working for us for a spell in 2011. After changing career direction and working for over ten years in a local car plant, he decided he preferred the freedom of working back in the Solar industry and is now embedded in the company as a team leader, where he continues to set high standards of workmanship.

These are all assisted by newer team members as we continue to grow, and we hope they can bed in as permanent company employees.