100 signatures reached
To: Cambridge City Council, executive councillor for Finance and Resources
Cambridge City Council - Take the renewable option
Choose the renewable tariff for your energy supply when it comes up for decision in the run up to the changeover in October 2016, even if it is more expensive than the fossil fuel alternative.
Why is this important?
Cambridge City Council made a commitment to a fossil free future in October 2015, pledging to end investment in fossil fuels and carbon-heavy buildings. This was done with cross-party supported and formed part of a global movement for divestment from harmful fossil fuels.
Around the same time, the executive councillor for Finance and Strategy agreed to a deal with the Eastern Procurement Purchasing Organisation to take over energy supply to the council. At this point, the opportunity to make a deal with suppliers who deal exclusively in renewable energy was lost.
However, there will still be a chance for the executive councillor to choose between a 100% renewables tariff and a non-renewables tariff, before the deal is finalised. It's worth noting that all suppliers are obliged to provide around 30% of their energy from renewable sources under the Renewables Obligation rules, but most of the major suppliers charge extra for this energy anyway.
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/domestic/buying-green-electricity
Cambridge City Council currently consumes approximately 10,000,000 kWh of gas and approximately 8,000,000 kWh of electricity per annum. This equates to around £260,000 for gas and £1,000,000 for electricity on the current contract.
Finally, the current executive councillor for Finance and Resources is standing down in May, so there is certain to be a new councillor in this role who comes to the role with the freedom to change things. The incumbent has shown little appetite for environmental concerns, claiming for example that a target of going zero-carbon by 2050 was ambitious when it is a bare minimum under the terms of the COP21 agreement in Paris. The new executive may be open to persuasion and a strong petition on this particular matter will help.
