WEST Berkshire should generate its own power from the Kennet river to combat the climate crisis, a Liberal Democrat councillor has said. 

In response to the climate emergency declared on July 2, a group of West Berkshire councillors will meet on July 23 to propose how to make the district carbon neutral. 

The environment advisory group is made up of one Green councillor, three Liberal Democrats, and five Tories. It will advise the council on what action should be taken. 

Ahead of the group’s first meeting tonight, the Lib Dem lead on climate, Adrian Abbs (Newbury Wash Common) has laid out his party’s proposals. 

He said West Berkshire should aim to be ‘carbon positive’, rather than neutral, meaning more carbon dioxide emissions should be removed from the atmosphere in the district than are created.

He is proposing microgeneration schemes in the next year or two, like installing more solar panels, and air source heat pumps. 

Mid-sized generation schemes could follow in the next two to five years, like water based schemes such as archimedes screws and vortex turbines.

In the short-term, Cllr Abbs said there is plenty the council and individual people can do, like switching to LED lights and turning down the heating. 

On the commercial side, Cllr Abbs is proposing linking energy efficiency rating with business rates, so there would be discounts for businesses that achieve ratings of A, B or C. 

He said: “We can do lots now with little budget, so there is no reason not to produce a near-term action plan. 

“When more budget is found, the bigger projects can begin, but as the initial range of things releases money, then it should get easier to do the bigger things anyway.

“Addressing energy generation and consumption is the best near-term way to have a major impact on emissions without asking people to make fundamental changes to their lives.”