COUNTY Durham has hosted a conference kick-starting a five year Europe-wide energy-saving project.

Leaders from local authorities across Europe visited the county last week to look at environmental projects already going on around Durham.

The Locarbo project is aimed at working with local businesses to make sure they make the most the cost-savings on offer by switching to more efficient sources.

Alessandro Attolico, project lead partner from the Province of Potenza, Italy, said: “Locarbo is all about how local authorities can come together to not only help people see the benefits of energy efficiency but to show businesses how they can benefit from it too.

“It was great to start the project in Durham, sharing ideas with all of the partners as well as seeing, first hand, some of the many successful schemes that have been put in place around the county.”

As part of the visit, leaders from local authorities around Europe visited several energy schemes already in place across County Durham, including a tour of Thorn Lighting in Spennymoor, the micro-hydro site in the River Wear at Freeman’s Reach in Durham City and sustainable energy technologies being used at Brandon Primary School and Framwellgate Moor Community Centre.

Cllr Neil Foster, cabinet member for economic regeneration and culture, said: “It’s fantastic to know that, as a council, we’re seen as leaders in energy efficiency across Europe. We’re looking forward to sharing what we’ve learned with the partners and taking ideas from them to make County Durham even more environmentally friendly and help local businesses further benefit from energy efficiency.”

Locarbo is one of two environment projects the council is taking part in thanks to £340,000 of funding from the Interreg programme.