Opinion

Talking point

Zenex Solar’s managing director Liz macFarlane
Zenex Solar’s managing director Liz macFarlane
Liz MacFarlane, Zenex Solar, contemplates TV stardom and the frenetic pace of the solar sector

The world of renewables is a fast-paced, crazy one. There’s no point getting too settled with anything; and writing a business plan feels like herding chickens. Just as you’ve focussed on one target, the goal changes for everyone and the horizon shifts.

I’m always amazed by how all-consuming it all is, particularly if like me, other members of your family are involved. And on a weekend, I’ve just about acclimatised to discussion that doesn’t involve the pros and cons of various mounting kits, when low and behold it’s Monday. Try combining that with life as a single mum of three and….well, let’s just say, I don’t watch much TV these days.

So, you can imagine my thoughts when I received an invitation from a TV production company to take part in a documentary about Zenex Solar and studying me and my family as we swap lives with a family at the ‘other end of the scale’. Yes, there were initially feelings of horror when I realised they didn’t mean I’d get the life of Richard Branson.  But then we all got a bit excited….. my sons about how they might end up with a ‘Meet The Osbournes’ fame, me about jumping off the solar treadmill for a week, forgetting about the mortgage and the Feed-in Tariff and moving in to a two-bedroom terrace in Bradford.  I think my poor counterpart would demand a return to her more basic existence after two days delivering the needs of our UK solar market.

So have I agreed? I might, if I had the time to phone the production company and ask why they weren’t interested in getting me on ‘The Voice’ (If you’ve heard me sing, you’ll know I’m being ironic).  I might, once I’ve got Ecobuild out of the way, if only to show others just what an exciting, growing and ambitious industry this is.