Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy (WWCE) has appointed a new chairman to run its solar energy business.

WWCE is one of the county’s largest not-for-profit energy companies and has appointed a new chairman in Julian Barlow, a Compton Bassett parish councillor and trustee of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, as well as a background in marketing, to help grow and develop its solar energy projects.

Mr Barlow, who has a background in marketing, has been brought on by WWCE to increase the wildlife and diversity around the company’s solar farms and launch its new carbon reduction scheme.

The programme will aim to work with home-owners to help them improve insulation, access to government grants and spend less on energy.

Mr Barlow said: “It is a great privilege to be appointed.”

Two new directors in Lucy Normington, who works with Swindon-based Innovate UK and Russell Abbott, who has biodiversity experience and is a lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University, have also been appointed.

Mr Barlow added: “It is an exciting time for the enterprise, as well as helping wildlife we can harness the sun to create energy which as well as proving heat and light can help the people of Wiltshire to save money on their heating bills.”