Power saving action urged (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Power saving action urged

WITH gas and electricity prices set to rise, energy bills will become a key issue for south-west businesses in 2004 if they do not start adopting energy saving measures now, says Action Energy.

Action Energy, the programme run by the Carbon Trust and funded by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and its equivalents in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, is urging organisations in the south-west to obtain its free pack, designed to cut costs and help the environment.

It says that companies can make savings of up to 20 per cent on their energy bills by making changes to their operations and work practices.

Garry Felgate, director of Action Energy, said: "We're encouraging businesses in the south-west to take advantage of Action Energy's free services to address their energy usage for 2004.

"We've created the Action Energy starter pack specifically for organisations looking to benefit from energy saving measures in 2004."

Action Energy's range of services includes:

o Interest-free, government-backed Action Energy loans that help smaller companies replace or upgrade existing facilities or equipment and are repayable over four years.

o Free surveys of a company's energy usage by an energy expert who identifies a variety of low cost and no cost energy efficiency measures and prepares an action plan tailored to the company's needs.

To obtain the starter pack call 0800 58 57 94 or visit www.actionenergy.org.uk.