Council makes the switch to renewable energy

As part of Cheshire West and Chester Council's aim to move its services and operations toward net zero carbon emissions by 2030, the Council has committed to buying certified, renewable electrical energy from April 2020 for two years. This is sometimes referred to as green energy. Certified renewable electrical energy is where a used amount of energy can financially be traced back to exactly where it was generated by a renewable source.

The move will ensure a lower carbon source for all the electrical supplies to Council buildings, Brio Leisure centres and schools in the Council's purchasing contract across west Cheshire. The new source of power will also help reduce the Council's current measured carbon emissions by approximately 41 per cent per year.

Over the next two years the Council will assess how it will move to a long term, low to zero carbon energy solution to provide enough energy to run the services that the Council delivers to its residents and businesses.

The Council, with support from Qwest Services, a joint venture company between Cheshire West and Chester Council and ENGIE, already produces approximately 600 megawatt hours of renewable electricity per year from its own solar panels which also have the added benefit of providing free electrical energy to schools across west Cheshire. The Council's solar panels are photovoltaic panels which capture the sun's energy and convert it into electricity.

Purchasing green energy helps to support current generators of renewable energy and allows them to consider further business investment, making more renewable energy available across the country and developing the UK market.

Alongside this project, work has also progressed on installing solar panels on the Brio-operated Neston and Christleton leisure centres as part of a community-owned renewable generation project which aims to develop and facilitate renewable energy schemes in the area.