A NEW energy company could be set up in York to help meet the city's power needs, it was announced today.

Ruling councillors want to generate power and save electricity by getting companies, housing associations, the council, and public bodies to work together.

It is hoped the move would encourage organisations to - literally - pool their resources.

Andrew Waller, the council's executive member for neighbourhood services, said ideas could include neighbouring properties benefiting from shared wind-turbines, solar panels, or ground-sourced heat.

He said the scheme would help secure York's long- term energy needs, and reduce the city's ecological footprint.

He said: "There are already many cutting edge schemes in York, like the eco-Depot which aim to cut York's dependency on fossil fuels, but we need to be able to establish a critical mass. What we want to see is a scheme which helps bring companies, housing associations, the council, and public bodies together to plan long-term projects to deliver power.

"At the moment investment is expensive, and in most cases the energy is consumed in-house. If we could have schemes which set up chp plants (combined heat and power), or renewable power sources in a location, then more than one organisation could benefit."

Coun Waller said the Liberal Democrats were proposing that the new company would help to share the initial costs, and the long term benefits.

He added: "At the moment there is little incentive for projects to produce energy that can be exported to neighbouring buildings.

"In Britain, householders get paid very little for putting spare energy into the grid. This contrasts with Germany where they are paid something closer to the true value of the electricity. By setting up our own scheme we can break down these barriers, and save everyone money in the process."

"This will not duplicate what is already happening. We have in York a successful Energy Efficiency Advice Centre, supported by local authorities, which hopefully will soon become a Sustainability Advice Centre covering transport, renewable energy as well as insulation.

"There are a number of projects around York where innovative renewable energy is being built in from the start. Wind, geo-thermal, and solar power all have a part to play."

As recently reported in The Press, local developers have tried to make buildings more eco-friendly. Examples include the historic Rowntree Wharf, where engineers are installing solar panels on the roof and placing thermal insulation beneath.


Pioneering scheme by council

THE venture proposed by Coun Waller is similar to that already in place in the Woking area.

Woking Borough Council has set up Thameswey Ltd, an energy and environmental services company which is a vehicle through which energy and environmental services can be delivered.

The firm is wholly owned by the council, and it enters into partnerships with public or private organisations, develops business plans, and tracks energy prices to give affordable charges.