The Council has selected a new “Clean Renewable” energy tariff, ensuring that the electricity it procures through its contract will be exclusively sourced from wind, solar and hydro generation. This change will affect all metered and unmetered electricity supplies covered by Somerset Council’s current electricity contract.
The decision to temporarily switch to a standard electricity tariff in 2024 was made as part of difficult financial decisions during a period of emergency. Earlier this year, councillors approved an additional £53,000 in the budget to facilitate the return to renewable electricity. This additional cost represents less than 1% of the Council’s annual electricity expenditure.
“"We know the Council needs to play its part in tackling climate change, and that includes looking carefully at where the energy we use comes from. Our financial position meant we had to make some very difficult decisions, including temporarily moving away from renewable electricity. I’m really pleased that we are now in a position to restore this commitment. From next April, the electricity we buy through this contract will be sourced from wind, solar and hydro generation. It is one part of our much wider journey towards net zero, but it is an important and positive step."
Somerset Council spends several million pounds annually on electricity for its operations. Previous figures indicated an expenditure of £6.58 million over a 12-month period, covering approximately 17.88 million kWh of electricity. The additional investment for the renewable tariff is therefore less than 1% of this annual spend.
The Council’s wider energy strategy also underscores the importance of renewable generation in achieving net zero. The Somerset Energy Investment Plan notes that over 520MW of renewable electricity capacity was present in Somerset in 2023, generating the equivalent of 29% of the county’s electricity consumption. In parallel, the Council continues its programme to replace older street lights with energy-efficient LED lighting and implement a centralised management system to reduce energy use and costs.
