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Energy awareness training at Walsall Council

Roll out of energy awareness training

Walsall Council has been working with the Carbon Trust under their funded Carbon Management Energy Efficiency (CMEE) programme since December 2006.  This is due to continue in the financial year 2008/09.

As part of the 2006/07 CMEE programme the following three areas were covered:

  • Energy surveys of the council’s least energy efficient buildings
  • Evaluating feasibility of combined heat and power (CHP) generation at the council’s leisure centres
  • Raising staff awareness through a number of energy presentations to senior managers, building managers, school caretakers and a number of the council’s general staff. A total of 226 staff were trained in this round using presentations developed by the Carbon Trust and adapted, with the help of some of the environmental champions, to reflect Walsall Council’s needs.

The aim of the CMEE programme is to identify and achieve significant carbon savings throughout the council and as a consequence financial savings too.  Our energy spend in 2006/07 was nearly £4 million this is due to increase by 50% bringing anticipated spend in 2008/09 to nearly £6 million.

There is an added incentive for reducing energy consumption at Walsall Council.  In 2010 the Carbon Reduction Commitment will come into force. Under this government scheme, the council will have to buy carbon credits based on the CO2 emissions we emit.  CO2 commitments will be at a fixed price of £8, £12 or £16 per tonne of CO2 (excluding green electricity).  If we purchase at £8 per tonne this equates to an additional £600K on top of our escalating energy prices which the council will have to find.  If at £16 per tonne then this figure rises steeply to £1.4 million. There will also be a cost associated in running the scheme which has still to be determined by the government. A carbon trading scheme will also operate enabling those who do not use up all their CO2 commitments to sell the surplus to other participants in the scheme who have exceeded their commitments.  These are additional costs on top of the 50% increase in energy prices.  

Contact us

Carol Edmondson
Regeneration Officer
Regeneration – Delivery and Development
Walsall Council
Darwall Street
Walsall
WS1 1TP

Telephone 01922 652864
Email edmondsonc@walsall.gov.uk

Energy awareness training video