Central and local government departments have signed a deal that guarantees them one terawatt hour of electricity from renewable sources over the next four years.

Sustainability targets call for central government departments to be sourcing at least 10% of their electricity from renewable sources by March 2008. EdF Energy will supply the electricity, which is equivalent to a third of current supplies, in a deal worth £1 billion.

The contract also includes a programme of site assessments to explore suitable renewable on site generation, and toolkits for energy efficiency programmes for departments to meet the challenge of reducing carbon emissions by saving energy.

There will also be a carbon offsetting option, which allows customers to buy certified emissions reduction certificates. These certificates fund climate change reduction schemes such as projects providing energy efficient stoves to families in developing countries.

Source

Building Sustainable Design