Gwynedd Council is supporting a government scheme which encourages people to use natural power sources such as the sun, wind and water to create green energy.
Under the Feed-In Tariffs (FITs) scheme, householders who have micro-generation technology installed on their property – such as solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectricity technology or anaerobic digestion – can benefit in several ways.
By investing in these alternative ways of producing energy, people can save on their energy bills, receive payments for generating their own electricity plus additional payments for any surplus electricity that they export to the national grid.
Dilwyn Williams, Gwynedd Council’s Corporate Director, said: “Windmills or water wheels were common sights in the olden days, and the idea of going back to using natural energy is becoming more common and economic.
“Gwynedd Council has signed up to an ambitious carbon management plan where we are actively trying to reduce how much energy we use and, in turn, how much carbon we produce. Carbon emissions are linked to climate change, one of the biggest threats facing our world today.
“As part of this plan we will be looking to see how we can use natural resources to generate energy and we are encouraging people to consider green energy sources instead of using traditional fossil fuels, which are becoming scarce.
“There are many benefits – it can help reduce fuel costs; reduces the carbon footprint and through this government scheme can even be a source of income.”
For more information about FITs contact the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512012 or visit the website www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
For more information about how to be more energy efficient and other schemes available locally contact the North Wales Energy Advice Centre on 0800 954 0658.
