COUNCIL LEADER: We are excited to be at the forefront of the green revolution

South Tyneside Council leader, Cllr Tracey Dixon, with Paul Quinn, of Colloide, at the Viking Energy Centre.

When we declared a climate emergency back in 2019, it wasn’t just a tick-box exercise: we meant business. In the last four years, reducing carbon emissions and working towards a greener, cleaner future has been woven into everything we do.

Our Sustainable South Tyneside strategy promised action, and we are delivering.

Just last week, construction of our flagship Viking Energy Network in Jarrow was completed and the system is up and running.

It sources low-grade heat from the River Tyne and converts it into usable energy to heat buildings in the town including our three residential tower blocks, Ellen, Wilkinson and Monastery Court, Jarrow Town Hall and Jarrow Focus.

The scheme, which will cut annual carbon emissions by 1,035 tonnes, is the first of its kind in the country and it makes me incredibly proud that we, a small borough, are leading the way on such pioneering projects.

Hot on its heels, our renewable energy network at Hebburn is due to be operational within weeks, and this will deliver a further reduction of 319 tonnes of carbon a year.

Tackling climate change is not something we can do half heartedly, and we’ll continue to use every opportunity available to us to make a change, devising innovative energy solutions, replacing old and inefficient buildings with modern, centralised hubs and increasing our on-site electricity generation.

But the journey to net zero presents opportunity as well as challenge, and we are excited to be at the forefront of the green revolution.

Our economic plan focuses on energy and skills. We are working alongside the private sector to unlock the potential of opportunities like Dogger Bank wind farm and the Envision giga-factory at IAMP. It’s essential that our young people are equipped with the skills to benefit from careers in the low carbon economy.

We have been trailblazers when it comes to the green agenda, but while we can drive and influence emission reductions in our communities, there is only so far we can go as a local authority. We need strong and focused policies along with the financial support and investment from Government to prepare residents, homes, workplaces and critical infrastructure in our move towards a sustainable future.