The Inverurie business designs and supplies solar panels, solar battery storage and electric vehicle chargers and has been a customer of the bank since its inception in 2015.

i-Protech plans to use the funding to develop new energy efficient products and services in response to rising energy costs, which have driven more interest in green energy solutions as customers seek to become self-sufficient and reduce bills.

The firm also holds the titles of the only Tesla-accredited installer of EV chargers in the North of Scotland in recognition of its extensive knowledge and expertise in the electric vehicle charging market.

i-Protech’s founder Stuart Munro decided to start the business following a career in the oil industry. Having always longed to be his own boss, he spotted a gap in the market when it came to sourcing reputable suppliers for security and fire safety alarms.

The business has since diversified into the green energy sector, and Stuart and his team now supply customers across the North of Scotland with high quality sustainable infrastructure such as solar panels, EV chargers and battery storage.

As i-Protech continues to grow and expand its offering, plans are already underway to hire more staff from the local area – with the ultimate ambition of becoming the go-to company in the region for electrical and energy efficient solutions.

Keith Linklater, RBoS relationship manager at Lombard, said: “As one of the key green energy businesses in the North, Stuart and his team are providing vital solutions to homes and businesses across the region, helping to reduce bills and environmental impacts.

“We’re proud to provide long-term support to companies like i-Protech as they expand and continue to deliver modern, environmental solutions to their customers.”

Mr Munro, director at i-Protech, added: “Having been a personal Royal Bank customer for over 30 years, it feels like a natural step to continue that partnership through this next period of our business journey.

“Feedback from our customers proves that there’s a strong desire for effective and efficient ways of lowering carbon emissions – which in turn leads to a reduction in energy bills. We’re committed to helping source those solutions and look forward to working with the bank as we continue to expand our offering.”