News on 26 October 2000
Twenty
five per cent of the electricity supplies to No 10 Downing Street and
the Cabinet Office building in 70 Whitehall are now being provided by
renewable energy, Cabinet Office 'Green' Minister Graham Stringer announced
yesterday.
"The Cabinet Office has agreed a twelve month energy contract, which
will mean that 10% of the combined No 10 and the whole Cabinet Office
estate's power supplies will now be sourced from green electricity, including
wind power, energy from waste and landfill gas," said Mr Stringer
said.
"This contract helps emphasise the Government's commitment to the
development of renewable energy, and fits in with its objective that by
the end of 2003, 5% of UK electricity requirements will be met by energy
from renewable sources, rising to 10% by 2010.
The green electricity contract will reduce CO2 emissions from No 10 and
the Cabinet Office estate by 120 tonnes of carbon, about 10% of the 1,200
tonnes of carbon emitted by the Department as a whole from electricity
consumption in 1998/99. This reduction will form an important contribution
to the Government's target of an on-going 1% per annum reduction in greenhouse
gas emissions against 1999/00 levels, across the Government estate."
