Energy strategy nets Moray Council gains on water and energy consumption
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MORAY Council have made inroads into their water and energy consumption, a new report has revealed.
The document dealing with the local authority's energy strategy and actions shows an overall reduction in water and energy consumption in its buildings by 3.4 per cent and 7 per cent respectively, on last year.
This is equivalent in monetary savings to more than £225,000.
The energy savings were reported to councillors at the council’s recent economic, development and infrastructure services committee.
The paper shows carbon emissions from energy used in council buildings are also down, by 8 per cent.
Ongoing energy-saving projects within the council, including updating heating controls and replacing water taps and boilers, and lights with LED bulbs, have helped to lower the council’s carbon footprint.
At the same time, the local authority saw a rise in its electricity consumption, by 1 per cent.
This is being attributed to a continued return to office-based work and to a rise in computing and other electrical equipment coming online. Electricity consumption savings from energy initiatives will be seen over the current and subsequent years.
Economic, development and infrastructure services committee chairman Councillor Marc Macrae, said: “This annual report shows some progress has been made by the council to cut its emissions, but we need to do more to reduce electricity consumption.
"We’ll continue to consider all necessary actions to cut our emissions further to tackle the climate emergency and achieve our net zero target.
“It’s unfortunate that while our relative costs will have reduced, the global rise in energy rates means that the cash implication to the council has gone in the opposite direction due to uncontrollable factors.”
Meanwhile, the local authority is applying for a grant from Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund.
This pot is in place to allow public sector organisations to carry out heat decarbonisation measures in their buildings, such as replacing oil-fired boilers with low carbon alternatives.
