York City is considering solar electicity

The City of York Council is planning to embark on a 25-year partnership with Community Energy Solutions, who are based in Yorkshire, to provide local properties with solar panel installations. The local authority’s ambition is to cut about £108 a year off resident’s bills.

The £7 million project, if successful, will make use of the Government’s Feed-In Tariff and could also reduce York's CO2 emissions by 872 tonnes a year. It will also create new jobs.

Estimates suggest that, over the course of the deal, it could take £2.71 million off the total cost of electricity for council tenants in the city.

It would also include a profit-share initiative, with about £35,000 a year being invested into a social enterprise company to fund environmental schemes in York. The ownership and maintenance costs of the solar panels would transfer to the council after 25 years.