WORCESTER has one of the lowest levels of renewable energy in the region, new research has found.

With World Enviroment Day coming up on June 4, heating experts Stelrad have analysed data from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to reveal which regions in the UK contain the most renewable energy sites including solar panels, wind farms and other energy sources..

According to their research, Worcester is 4th from bottom, only beating Redditch, Tamworth and North Warwickshire in the West Midlands category. Elsewhere in the county however, the picture is much better. Malvern Hills is higher up on the list, with 2,080 renewable energy sites compared to Worcester’s 1,124. Wychavon is 5th overall for renewable energy sites, with 2,794 across the district.

In tackling climate change, Malvern Hills District Council plans to spend £800,000 on improving the energy efficiency of buildings around the district.

A grant of £167,000 has been secured from the government’s public sector decarbonisation scheme which will help improve the energy efficiency of Malvern Theatres.

Some £550,000 has also been pledged to the council from phase two of the local delivery scheme, which is part of the government’s green homes grant. The council has already spent £100,000, received from phase one of the local delivery scheme, installing external wall insulation on 10 properties which cannot benefit from cavity wall insulation.

Council leader Sarah Rouse said: “I’m delighted we have been able to secure this funding which will not only help us meet our ambitions to cut carbon emissions but will save people money as well.”

For more information about Stelrad and their research, go to www.stelrad.com/