Energy usage down but bills up

Angus Council has cut its energy consumption by almost 5% and delivered an 11.5% carbon emissions reduction in the past year.

The figures were welcomed by communities committee councillors at a meeting in Forfar, but there was bad news on the water consumption front after a rise in usage brought a cost increase of more than £32,000.

Officials reported that the total energy consumption figure continues to drop, from 73,438,726 Kwh in 2014-15 to 71,364,359 in 2016-17, a 4.8% drop.

Carbon emissions fell by some 2.3 million kg to a total of just over 18m.

Officials said the drop – from 24m two years ago, was the result of reduced energy consumption and a reduction in the conversion factor as electricity generation becomes more decarbonised.

Last year’s energy bill came to £5.174m, an increase of around £12,000 on the previous year.

The total water consumption figure of 210,785 cubic metres was 13,368 more than 2015-16 and officials attributed that to factors including a major water leak at the South Links holiday park in Montrose and new properties coming on stream.

As a result, the authority’s water bill rose £32,184 to £748,445.

A net increase in the council’s energy budget provision of £0.6m over the years 2017-21 has been assumed due to markets.