Council Turns to Green Power

Herefordshire Council is leading the way when it comes to caring for the environment and soon all its buildings will be powered by “clean green” renewable energy.

Currently 10% of the Council’s energy needs for larger facilities, such as teaching pools, are provided by renewable energy but by December 2003, 100% of power needed for all sites will come from renewable sources.

Using sustainable energy reduces the amounts of pollutants and carbon dioxide produced to generate electricity needed to run Council services.

To recognise the Council’s achievements Paul Webb, National Account Manager for energy supplier Npower, will present a Renewable Energy Certificate to Herefordshire Council’s Environment Cabinet Member, Cllr Phil Edwards, on Tuesday (September 23).

Cllr Edwards said: “All this is an enormous leap forward in achieving one of the Council’s environmental objectives - to increase the use of energy from renewable sources.

“At the moment renewables only provide 3% of the energy used in Britain, so they are in short supply.

“The Council is therefore particularly pleased to announce that (WMS) West Mercia Supplies who buy energy for the Council, have just secured electricity from 100% renewable sources for all Herefordshire’s Council’s sites - large and small - from 1st December 2003.

“This is not only great news for the environment but makes economic sense as well.”

The renewable energy comes from biogas, a by-product of the sewage treatment process.

The certificate presentation is at the St Owens Day Centre - one of the sites that will shortly be powered by renewable electricity.

The Centre for adults with learning disabilities recently became accredited to the ISO 14001 environmental management system which means it has reached an internationally recognised standard of good environmental practice.

Herefordshire Council is also encouraging local residents to use renewable energy and offers grants of £1000 to homeowners, or private rented tenants, to use towards solar hot water heating and £1200 towards installing ground source heat pumps.

For more information on these offers and energy efficiency grants visit the local Energy Efficiency Advice Centre on http://www.telfleac.demon.co.uk/ or phone free on 0800 512 012