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State-owned coal miner Solid Energy has bought Nelson-based solar-heating specialist Sensible Heat.
The acquisition, which had a nationwide distribution network of agents who installed and supported its solar-heating products, would form the basis of a new service called Switch, Solid Energy said.
Switch would supply equipment, provide advice and design integrated heating systems. It would complement the work of Solid Energy's wood pellet business Nature's Flame, which was moving into the installation of wood pellet boilers in schools and commercial premises.
Solid Energy and Nature's Flame had carried out research and development into heating for residential, commercial and small industrial uses. It aimed to make that expertise more widely available through Switch, the company said.
