Wirral Council sets aside £3million to go greener

Feb 1 2012 by Linda Foo Guest, Birkenhead News

A TOTAL of £3m has been earmarked to be spent on solar panels by Wirral Council.

The cash has been set aside to install the solar panels in up to 30 council buildings in the borough to cut carbon emissions by 60% by 2025.

The authority expects to see a return on investment over the years through savings in energy costs and CO2 emissions.

The Cheshire Lines Building in Birkenhead was the first council building to install solar panels to allow it to generate its own electricity.

The council has put more money into a fund that provides grants to community groups to carry out work on their own buildings to make them more energy efficient.

Cllr Brian Kenny, cabinet member for environment, said: “By helping community groups to invest in energy-efficient technologies the scheme will help to reduce energy costs, climate change levy payments and the impact of climate change.

“Microgeneration power is something that the council wants to see more of across the borough and is leading the way with this significant financial commitment to making our buildings more energy efficient and it is hoped that more businesses and organisations will look at it too.

“Not only does it reduce the amount they will have to pay out for energy and create an income by generating surplus energy when the building is not being used, it will also help reduce carbon emissions which the council is committed to doing.”