The Mayor’s office has joined forces with the London Development Agency (LDA), London First and borough councils to draw up a package of initiatives that will help the city’s target of producing 25% of its own heat and power by 2025.

If met, this target would mean the city would cut its carbon footprint by 3.5million tonnes per year.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “I want to position London as the world’s leading low carbon economy.

“There are massive opportunities flowing from the shift away from our fossil fuelled lifestyles including new ‘green collar’ jobs and financial savings from becoming less wasteful.

“We are working hand in hand with the business community and London’s boroughs to create the ripe conditions to revolutionise the way we power our city.

“This is a fertile alliance between private and public organisations which will reap significant dividends for Londoners.”

The bundle of measures announced this week include the publication of a guide for those interested in setting up local energy schemes, Powering Ahead; expert advice and funding for boroughs; an online map providing information on big energy users, existing local heat networks and other key information for property developers and others interested in building localised power supplies.

The London Development Agency has allocated up to £16 million for decentralised energy projects over the next four years and is already working on 14 projects currently across the capital.

Sam Bond

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