Streetlights and traffic signals in Lichfield are being powered by green energy sources, Staffordshire County Council has confirmed.

The authority said it had opted to make the switch in lighting as well as in its own businesses after declaring a climate emergency last year.

The council said the move to green sources had reduced the annual carbon usage by 24,000 tonnes.

Sources such as sun, wind, rain and geothermal heat are being used instead of fossil fuels as part of a new contract agreed by the county council.

Cllr Conor Wileman, cabinet support member for the environment said:

“Since declaring a climate change emergency, we have been working hard to ensure we are doing all we can to reduce our carbon footprint as a county council.

“Over recent years we have already reduced our carbon footprint, but realised we needed to go further and look at some of our contracts to see where further reductions could be made.

“The switch to renewable green energy in our contracts for buildings, streetlights and traffic signals will make a significant contribution to our goal of reducing our carbon footprint still further.

“As well as looking at our own contracts and processes, we will continue to work closely with our district and borough partners and continue to lobby the Government to address this climate emergency and consider the implementation of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.”

Cllr Conor Wileman, Staffordshire County Council

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.

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Paperweight
4 years ago

That’s good news, power to the planet

Mike
4 years ago

What they mean is they buy power from a company that says it supplies green electric, but as it all comes down the same wire it is only a sop to green power

Megan
4 years ago

Aghh. Yes and do I remember viewing on some TV programme or other that these ‘green’ traffic lights will also be used for surveillance. Or have I got it wrong.