Plans to save more energy are set out

A COUNCIL is to set out its plans for more energy saving over the next decade as it moves towards its target of being carbon neutral by 2030.

Leicestershire County Council has saved hundreds of thousands of pounds in recent years by reducing energy consumption in its buildings, using energy-efficient measures such as installing solar panels and LED lighting.

The revised Strategic Property Energy Strategy will support a green Covid recovery and will involve tailoring energy upgrades with new digital ways of working in mind.

The next targets are to make a 30-to-50 per cent further reduction in energy consumption from council buildings, compared with last year, along with a 50 per cent increase in onsite renewable or zero-carbon energy generation.

Among the projects planned for the next year are increasing the amount of solar panels and LED lighting at County Hall, introducing solar panels and electric vehicle chargers at Snibston Colliery Park and investigating low carbon heating solutions at other council-owned properties. It is also hoped to install large-scale energy generation schemes such as solar farms on council land.

Councillor Byron Rhodes, cabinet member for strategic property, said: “We continue to concentrate our efforts on reducing carbon by using renewable or zero-carbon energy generation wherever possible. In recent years we have made big savings on our gas and electricity bills and we continue to make huge strides in our journey to become carbon neutral by 2030.”

Key energy-saving projects have seen solar panels being installed at numerous buildings owned by the authority, including Beaumanor Hall, Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, Enderby Adult Learning Centre and Loughborough Family and Wellbeing Centre. LED lighting upgrades were also carried out at many council properties.