Green fund gets green light

The Energy Development Fund could finance a range of initiatives such as energy-saving streetlights or better use of solar panels and alternative sources of heat.

The schemes could potentially save thousands for the authority.

At a meeting last night (Weds) Dudley Council’s cabinet agreed to borrow £1million to invest in renewable energy and cut the authority’s carbon footprint.

Councillor Dr Rob Clinton, cabinet member for waste management and climate change, said:
This fund is about making massive changes now so that we are ready for the future. There’s lots we have already done but we need to do more. We have a collective responsibility to plan for cutting our energy use and making smarter choices to tackle climate change in every area of the council. This money goes a long way to doing that.
The council declared a climate emergency in 2020 and has since made great strides with modifying buildings with solar panels and heat pumps as alternative energy sources.

Last year the council switched to 100 per cent green renewable electricity and improvements are being made to a number of council buildings to switch to greener heating measures, as part of the government’s £4.4million public sector decarbonisation scheme.

The council was also awarded £2.5m of European Regional Development Funding as part of the Low Carbon Place Strategy initiative, which, using match funding will see a range of similar carbon reduction measures in council housing and other council operational sites.

Last year the authority secured £1.4million grant, with a further £1million council money added, to add external wall insulation, electric heating or solar panels to 298 homes.

The council produces around 21,161 tonnes of CO2 every year. The plan will also reduce the impact of rising energy costs.

The council aims to be carbon net zero by 2030.

The proposal will now go to full council on July 10 to be determined.