Greener fuel bills save £500,000

A county council is hoping to save £500,000 a year on its fuel bills after switching to green suppliers.

All energy supplied to Cumbria County Council buildings is now from renewable sources including wind and wave.

This includes 55 Carlisle City Council sites, six Barrow Council buildings and 12 Copeland Borough Council properties.

The new energy deals have been signed with suppliers E.on Energy and Opus Energy. The county council has signed the North West Climate Change Charter.

Councillor Ian Stewart, the County Council's cabinet member responsible for the environment, said: "This is a great example of some of the major organisations in the county working together to deliver the best possible outcome for the people of Cumbria.

"Everyone's a winner - taxpayers because it's cheaper, the environment because it's greener, and the organisations involved because they're leading from the front and showing best practice."

So-called "brown" electricity is generated from coal, gas and other carbon dioxide releasing processes.