Schools, care homes and council offices will use 100 per renewable energy in the future after the council committed to choose a green provider on Monday (July 16).

Councillor Tony Page, lead member for Strategic Environment, announced the plans in an amendment to a report asking councillors to choose a new provider.

Reading Borough Council's Policy committee agreed to delegate authority to council directors to choose a provider in conjunction with lead members Tony Page and Ellie Emberson.

Members had been asked to approve a contract with Total Gas Power Limited, before the amendment to the report was tabled as the report had provided no environmental reasoning behind the choice.

The amendment added an additional statement that the council must select an energy supplier or suppliers that can demonstrate they purchase from 100 per cent renewable energy sources in respect of the council’s supply.

RBC is still expected to choose Total Gas and Power as the supplier provides a 100 per cent renewable energy package.

Cllr Emberson said: “It is important that we have climate change in mind in everything we do.

“We will continue to uphold our record by ensuring we use renewable sources.”

The council currently spends around £2m per year on energy for services such as buildings and street lighting.

Reading Borough Council’s Carbon Plan, 2015-2020, states: “We will procure energy cost-effectively and where possible 100% green electricity.

“We will take the steps to ensure we are ready to procure water cost-effectively when the market is opened / deregulated.”

Total Gas and Power last year sourced 47 per cent of its energy from renewables last year compared to the national average of 29 per cent.

RBC’s previous providers, in comparison, source as follows:

  • British Gas – 43 per cent
  • EDF Energy – 11.6 per cent
  • Corona – 24.2 per cent

Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) Policy committee also chose a new water provider – Anglian Water Business (National) Limited, using the London Energy Project framework.