Councils are stepping up initiatives to break their dependency on fossil fuels. East Devon DC has launched a recycling scheme which will convert around one million kilos of food waste into electricity for 12,000 homes. The waste will go to a biogas plant, which will supply electricity for the National Grid. Wrexham CBC has changed its bin rounds to save 2,000 miles a month in fuel costs for its refuse lorries and reduce its carbon footprint. Camden LBC revealed it was trialling a street-cleaning vehicle converted to run on compressed biomethane, in partnership with supplier Gasrec, Veolia Environmental Services and van manufacturer, Iveco. Compressed biomethane is extracted from a landfill site. Cllr Alexis Rowell, Camden's eco champion, said: ‘The average household bin is one-third food waste. Rather than send it to landfill or an incinerator, we can turn it into a gas and run our municipal vehicle fleet on it.' And the Combined Heat and Power Association's announced a national conference on 19 November to tackle energy costs. CHPA director Graham Meeks said: ‘Escalating energy prices mean practical energy-saving measures are no longer a luxury for green pioneers but a vital step in controlling costs, maintaining profitability and tackling fuel poverty.'
