Co-op bank goes greener

The Co-operative Bank, known for its ethical stance on business practices, has moved its head office onto 'green' power.

In a step aimed at both reducing pollution and cutting costs, the bank has agreed to buy electricity generated by a turbine on the Manchester Ship Canal. The Co-op now claims to be the UK's largest purchaser of green energy.

This change, combined with systems already in place at sites in London and Salford, means that 40% of its total energy comes from renewable sources. The turbine operation is run by specialist renewable energy company ENER-G and supplied to the bank by the Renewable Energy Company.

MD Dale Vince hopes this is just the beginning of a trend. "The greater the demand, the more new green generators we can build," he said.

Elliott Chase