English energy firm acquires Scottish renewables installer

English residential energy services company Hometree has acquired Perth and Sheffield based renewable energy installer IMS Heat Pumps.

Founded in 2015, Hometree was initially focused on home emergency breakdown and insurance, but has since expanded into renewable installations and financing. It now has over 100,000 emergency heating, plumbing, electrical repairs and maintenance plan customers, with services delivered by a nationwide network of more than 5,000 engineers and installers.

Its Hometree Finance division also makes up the largest portfolio of residential heat, solar and battery leases in the UK.

The deal for IMS Heat Pumps should let Hometree bolster its engineering workforce and re-train more engineers to be able to install, repair and maintain renewables.

Hometree founder and chief executive Simon Phelan said: “I’m incredibly excited to be partnering with Emma Bohan and the IMS team and look forward to helping them scale the company significantly.

“If the UK is to achieve its net zero ambition, we will need an army of installers right across the country and we’re committed to bringing together these skills, supported by financing and in-life repair and maintenance services, to make Hometree the first choice for homeowners who want to do the right thing by the planet.”

Emma Bohan, managing director of IMS Heat Pumps, said: “We’ve been installing heat pumps for over 25 years and we’ve watched the renewable home energy industry grow and grow in that time.