A COMPANY specialising in home energy efficiency is working with a North-East council to help introduce renewable energy systems into its housing stock.

Newcastle-based eaga will fit solar thermal panels to 24 properties managed by Wear Valley District Council, to generate up to 60 per cent of their hot water.

The move is part of the council's commitment to renewable technologies and the authority is one of the agencies involved in the redevelopment of the former Lafarge/Blue Circle Cement Works in Eastgate.

Part of the proposal for that site is an eco-village which would showcase renewable energy, such as solar, hydro, wind, geothermal and biomass. A planning application for the site will be submitted in the autumn.

Work to install thermal panels on some houses in the district is already under way.

Ian Bloomfield, environmental officer for Wear Valley District Council, said: "With the help of organisations such as eaga, we are acting on our pledge to encourage our community to adopt renewable energy sources.

"We hope that the proposed renewable energy village will be a local - and national - example of utilising renewable fuels, although this could be several years away.

"Fitting solar thermal panels is all about taking those important first steps towards becoming more energy efficient and a community's growing awareness of sustainable technologies."

Steve Casely, managing director of eaga's renewable energy division, said: "Solar thermal panels fitted to properties convert energy from the sun and, typically, provide up to 60 per cent of a household's hot water needs.

"They can offer an extremely economical and efficient source of renewable energy, particularly for so-called hard- to-treat homes in rural areas where there is no access to gas mains. Solar panels have been installed on four properties so far and we will fit a further 20 over the next few weeks.

"This is a perfect example of how local authorities can make best use of renewable energy and we are delighted to be working with such a forward-thinking authority as Wear Valley."

Eaga is the UK's largest residential energy efficiency provider and was established in Newcastle in 1990. It operates across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, India and Canada, employing more than 3,000 people