£500k loan funds HQ fit-out to deliver public‑sector decarbonisation with onsite renewables
This article covers GW Power-Safe, a corporate, which has secured a £500,000 loan to finish fitting out a new headquarters in Hull and provide working capital to expand its renewables and retrofit work. The funding is intended to help the startup bid for larger public‑sector decarbonisation contracts, support a pipeline of roughly £16m of projects and create around ten new jobs in the next 12 months.
GW Power-Safe has secured £500,000 in a loan funding round to finish fitting out a new headquarters in Hull and to provide working capital for larger public-sector decarbonisation projects. The funding will help the business expand its renewables and retrofit work, and supports plans to take on a growing pipeline of projects and add staff.
Why it matters
The loan comes as public and private clients prioritise energy efficiency and low-carbon infrastructure. GW Power-Safe reports a turnover above £12m, a team of 46 employees plus contractors, and roughly £16m of projects in the pipeline. The financing is intended to complete a 5,270 sq ft building that the company says will act as a demonstrator for retrofit and onsite renewable energy, while also freeing capacity to bid for larger contracts and create around ten new jobs in the next 12 months.
For local economies and procurement bodies such as schools, colleges, local authorities and NHS trusts, a regional contractor that can deliver solar, battery storage and low-carbon heating projects end-to-end reduces reliance on multiple suppliers and can speed up delivery of decarbonisation work.
Inside the product
Founded in 2014 by Dan Haley after a spell of redundancy, GW Power-Safe began as a building services contractor and has steadily expanded into renewables and energy work. Renewables and energy now account for about half of the company’s workload. Recent projects include the refurbishment of Hull’s Albert Avenue baths and a regional museum; the firm is also carrying out battery installations for NHS sites and a regional ambulance service.
The company works alongside C3 Group, a sustainability and design practice co-founded by Dan Haley, to offer design-to-delivery services. The new premises, located on the approach to Hull city centre overlooking the A63, is intended to showcase how retrofitting existing commercial properties and integrating onsite generation can lower a building’s carbon footprint and operating costs.
Who are the investors?
GW Power-Safe has taken a £500,000 loan from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia Debt as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II. The business has previously received backing from the first Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund as well.
The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is described in the announcement as a £660m programme covering the North of England. The fund provides loans from £25,000 to £2m and equity investments up to £5m to support smaller businesses across the region.
In the announcement, Rebecca Pickering, of Mercia Debt, added:
Through sheer ambition and determination, Dan has grown GW Power-Safe from a small contractor to a respected firm that works on high-profile projects and has moved into renewables. Its role is also changing from subcontractor to working directly with end users to manage an entire project. We are pleased to support the company once again on the next stage of its growth journey.
In the announcement, Lizzy Upton, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said:
GW Power-Safe is a strong example of how the NPIF and NPIF II funds have supported businesses throughout their entire growth journey. This latest investment will enable Dan to build on that success – creating new jobs, supporting public sector clients and demonstrating how greener buildings can play a vital role in decarbonising the region’s economy.
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Founder perspective
Dan Haley set up the business after being made redundant at 25 and has grown it into a contractor that now delivers renewables and retrofit work across public-sector estates. He said the new premises reflect the business’s approach to its own operations.
In the announcement, Dan Haley, Managing Director at GW Power-Safe, said:
As energy costs rise and the focus on sustainability grows, businesses are looking for practical ways to reduce both emissions and costs. We support clients in their decarbonisation journey, and our new premises reflect our commitment to applying the same principles to our own operations. It’s about leading by example.
The bigger picture
GW Power-Safe’s financing sits at the intersection of two trends: increased public-sector investment in net-zero upgrades and the regional push to scale capacity outside London. Contractors that can combine retrofit skills with renewables installation are in demand as organisations seek cost and carbon reductions without lengthy procurement processes.
The deal will be of interest to proptech investors tracking firms that deliver tangible energy savings through building works and onsite generation. For regional policy and finance programmes, the loan illustrates how targeted debt can help mature local contractors step up to larger, end-user contracts and support regional decarbonisation goals.
This transaction also reflects ongoing efforts across the UK to widen access to finance for businesses outside the capital, and to channel funding into projects that contribute to national decarbonisation ambitions.
They've invested in GW Power-Safe
Get to know these greentech investors
| Investor | Sector | Stage | Activity | Team | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance | 3 investments investments | more info | |||
 Mercia Asset Management (Mercia Debt) | 8 investments investments | more info | |||
 British Business Bank (Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund) | 60 investments investments | 7 contacts contacts | |||
 Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II | 14 investments investments | more info | |||
British Business Bank | 60 investments investments | 7 contacts contacts | |||
NPIF (Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund) | 2 investments investments | more info | |||
NPIF II (Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II) | 1 investment investment | more info |
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