Buildings owned by the Isle of Wight Council will be powered on 100% renewable electricity from 1st October after the council chose to sign up to a new green provider called Ecotricity.
The contract was awarded following an Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) compliant tendering process for the purchase of future energy.
Councillor Dave Stewart, Leader of the Isle of Wight Council, has said:
“I am very pleased to be able to announce that Ecotricity have been chosen by the Isle of Wight Council as its electricity provider reflecting our drive towards our green agenda and helping contribute to our aspiration of carbon neutrality . The company could demonstrate they generate and supply 100 per cent renewable energy sourced from the wind and sun and at the same time as offering value for money.
“Following the Full Council meeting where a climate emergency was declared and the recent news that the Island has been awarded biosphere status, I think it is important that we make changes where and when we can. I believe in action not just words and this clearly demonstrated we are taking action. This contract will ensure all the electricity used in our buildings is green electricity and help minimise our carbon footprint.”
The contract will cover all council buildings, including fire stations, care homes, offices and leisure centres.
The company Ecotricity provides electricity from 100% green sources, with around a quarter coming from their 47 ‘wind parks’ and 5 ‘sun parks’ that are currently operating or have been approved for use across the country.
The energy generated from the wind and sun doesn’t release any carbon emissions – so helps reduce the impact the council buildings have on the environment.
Paul Sands, Growth Director, Ecotricity, added:
“We’re proud to be powering these council buildings on the Isle of Wight. We’re in the midst of a climate emergency – and one of the things we can all do is switching to a renewable energy supplier – as power can be one of the largest impacts we have on the planet. We’re supplying a growing number of businesses and homes with renewable power.”
The contract is for the supply of electricity will run from 1st October 2019 through to 30th September 2020.
I always find it amusing when people get conned by the “green” issue…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBwcwnKHVJA
If you charge any battery-powered machine – whether a car or even an electric digger – with electricity generated by a gas-fired or coal-fired power station, then you’re not being green. But if it’s from electricity produced by a wind turbine, or hydro-electric generator, then that’s proper deep green. No planet has been harmed in the making of it… I always find it depressing when people like you just don’t get that, because it kind of explains the s**t we’re all in.
I applaud the Isle of Wight for taking such a positive step to make a real difference in the unholy war against climate change.
That’s amusing as well. Have you ever thought of the carbon footprint involved in manufacturing these turbines? It’s fairly well documented that each wind turbine wood have to be operational for almost 500 years to justify it’s own carbon footprint. But as they obviously won’t last 500 years, where is the benefit? It’s all a con….
There is a lot of historic ‘anti-wind and solar’ data out there, including your bizarre 500 years carbon payback reference, that has been debunked, and you really need to bring yourself up to date. Academic studies in recent years show that the carbon payback for onshore wind farms ranges from 6 months to 2 years Can i suggest that you read this study: https://www.climatexchange.org.uk/media/1459/life_cycle_wind_-_executive_summary_.pdf, in particular from pp 17 onwards. You may not find it amusing, but I would hope that you find it educational.