Blair welcomes BT's green energy move

Thursday, 14 October 2004 12:00 AM

The Prime Minister has welcomed BT's announcement of a record purchase of green electricity.

The three year contract with npower and British Gas will see nearly all of BT's UK electricity supplied by "environmentally friendly" energy, in what it believes is the world's largest ever purchase of green energy.

The electricity will be generated by a combination of energy from renewable sources and energy from combined heat and power (CHP) sources.

BT stresses that the initiative will reduce its CO2 emissions by around 325,000 tonnes a year, equivalent to the amount of CO2 produced by 100,000 cars.

Tony Blair said: "The actions of leading companies such as BT are living proof that significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions need not come at the cost of economic growth."

Mr Blair has promised to make the environment and climate change one of the central issues in the UK's presidency of the G8 and EU next year

Paul Reynolds, chief executive of BT Wholesale said: "Energy efficiency is a key element of our purchasing strategy and sustainability is at the heart of our business. We are aiming both to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions to the atmosphere and we believe we will achieve both aims with these new contracts."

Dr Steve Howard, chief executive of the Climate Group, described the move as "globally significant". He added it "sends out a message that the purchase of green electricity is no longer a niche market - it has now gone mainstream".

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