Councils in free energy talks for housing tenants

Over 20 local authorities nationwide are in talks with the country's biggest power supplier about plans to provide social housing tenants with ways of generating their own free energy supplies.

British Gas will begin a microgeneration installation programme next year to provide social housing and other public sectors, with green energy technology such as solar panels, ground source heat pumps and household wind turbines. Installations will start in Spring 2007.

The company will also be working with schools that are keen to take part in the programme and invest in their own renewable energy supplies.

Jon Kimber, Senior Energy Efficiency Manager at British Gas, said: "Wind turbines and solar panels are a hot topic among the chattering es. Our programme will help widen access to microgeneration technology across all sectors giving those, who may otherwise struggle to fund the initial investment required, the benefit of savings on energy bills and reductions in carbon emissions."

As an accredited supplier for the Government's Low Carbon Building Programme, British Gas has access to grant funding of up to 50% on microgeneration products installed under the scheme. By passing these savings on to the local authorities and schools involved they will be able to benefit from the technology at heavily subsidised installation prices.

British Gas is the only company within this phase of the programme to gain accredited supplier status across all five technologies.

Green energy sources can deliver substantial savings on energy bills.

Solar thermal panels can provide up to 90% of a property's hot water supply in summer saving up to 70% on the annual hot water bill.

Copyright Press Association 2006