Poor homes get green energy boost

Domestic solar panels are becoming more popular

Funding of £1m is now available to help people suffering from fuel poverty and to test "green" energy technology.

The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is to offer cash to residents in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The aim is to encourage the spread of domestic wind turbines, solar panels, air and ground-source heat pumps.

Richard Ellis, of EEDA, said: "About 1m people live in fuel poverty in the east even in the most buoyant parts."

The energy minister Malcolm Wicks announced the new funding as part of a pilot study to increase the use and implementation of low carbon technologies across the East of England.

The money will be used to install domestic microgeneration technology to reduce dependency on traditional fossil fuels.

Alex Menhams is the campaign manager and said there was a wide range of technologies now available.

"These include solar panels, domestic wind energy and new combined power and heat units that use wood or conventional fuels to create heat and to generate electricity so are hugely effective.

"It is only a pilot project so only a specific number of communities can be helped but they would get technology in their homes to cut the costs of heat and electricity."