Iskra Wind Turbines rebrands, talks up global expansion plan

Suitable for rural and semi-rural locations

One of the UK's leading manufacturers of on-site wind turbines, Iskra Wind Turbines, announced yesterday that it has rebrand as Evance as it seeks to head off trademark disputes ahead of planned international expansion.

Pete Allen, chief executive of the company, explained that a large electronics firm also uses the name Iskra, and in an attempt to avoid any future trademark battles the company has opted for a new name.

The announcement came as the company confirmed it has signed up four new resellers in Scotland, Poland, Germany, and Northern Ireland and Ireland as it seeks to expand export sales of its new 5kW wind turbines.

"In the past we've been focused on the UK, but with the new brand and new product we feel we are in a great position to expand and are looking to sign up resellers in Europe and North and South America," said Allen. "We're expecting to see big expansion in the US, in particular on the back of the new tax credits on offer there."

The company said that its new R9000 Advanced Turbine boasted improved reliability, durability and noise reduction compared with previous models, and could be installed faster and at lower cost.

Allen said that the turbine, which is typically installed on a 12m tall free-standing tower, was unlikely to be suitable for urban installation, but would prove effective in rural and semi-rural locations with good wind profiles, including farms, schools, and commercial and domestic properties.

According to a recent study from the BWEA, the UK is emerging as a global leader in the market for small wind turbines and has seen export revenues double in the past year to around £5.5m.