SWINDON has been named as the greenest town in south England due to the amount of power generated through renewable energy sources.

The Green Alliance has developed a map showing all the projects around the country and Swindon has fared extremely well.

Grimsby tops the list but with almost ten per cent of used energy coming from renewable sources and Swindon is the highest in south England and ninth overall.

Swindon Borough Council has set itself a target of having every household supplied using renewable energy by 2020, so the latest figures have been welcomed.

"The Green Alliance report is good news for Swindon and shows we are doing our part in creating green jobs, improving our towns reputation and helping to tackle a national problem,” said Councillor Dale Heenan (Con, Covingham and Dorcan), the cabinet member for sustainability.

“Our strategy to embrace renewables means that by 2020, Swindon Borough Council will have £1 million of income coming from solar, this is £1 million which can be spent on important local services for local residents and therefore doesn't need to cut from budgets.”

In recent years, the number of solar projects in the borough has increased dramatically. Examples of sites used include the Wroughton Airfield while planning orders making it easier to put solar panels on buildings have been put in place.

The council has also been behind a scheme whereby residents can invest in another council-backed solar site at Common Farm which has also proved overwhelmingly popular.

Coun Heenan says Swindon is now being seen as an example by others on how to progress green projects.

He said: “Several anti-solar farm campaign groups have been in contact with me praising Swindon's approach with local communities, and the recent Swindon Solar Bond with Abundance and Public Power Solutions is a good example of where we have tried to take an old idea and give it a new lease of life.

“In less than three months, £1.7 million was invested by 700 people for a solar farm on council land, and was the first bond available to the general public in more than 100 years.

“In the next 12 months Swindon Council will be moving forward with a Solar Farm at a landfill waste site which could power 2000 homes, encouraging electric points at petrol stations and new housing estates, considering solar canopies in car parks, and try to find ways to reduce the £1 million electricity bill for street lights."