According to new plans by West Sussex County Council, local communities are to benefit from more sustainable energy being produced in the area…
The new West Sussex Energy Strategy looks at the key actions which need to take place up to 2020 in order to build a sustainable future including affordable energy.
This includes ensuring energy is used more efficiently throughout the council, as well as by businesses and residents.
As part of a County Council –led partnership between local councils and construction company Carillion – a range of schemes are underway to help develop renewable energy.
These include solar panels being fitted on council offices and schools, as well as some social housing to provide low-cost electricity for tenants.
Louise Goldsmith, Leader of West Sussex County Council, said: “We made a commitment to cut out CO2 emissions in half by 2025 and we are on track to make this a reality.
“This strategy is the next push to make that happen but also a renewed commitment to our residents to help tackle fuel poverty and identify new opportunities for renewable energy production.
“Creating new renewable energy sources will have a large number of benefits including helping towards increasing the security of the UK’s energy supply – something which is a real concern as a number of power stations are coming to the end of their lives.”
One of the most recent milestones achieved by the County Council was the opening of the solar farm located on 25 acres of land east of Tangmere Airfield.
The electricity produced, which is enough to power 1,500 homes, is sold back into the National Grid earning £13.8m over 20 years.
