OKEHAMPTON students impressed their local MP when he visited Okehampton College to see the progress the school has made in ensuring that the site is carbon neutral.

Having already made substantial energy savings prior to winning a national award in 2013, the college has since taken its efforts to a new level, winning a £150,000 national challenge from British Gas as well as a unique national dance competition where schools were tasked with choreographing a routine powerful enough to generate energy.

Mr Stride was shown how the money they won has been used to install additional renewable energy equipment and upgrade their remaining gas boilers to maximise efficiency to the point where the school is effectively carbon neutral.

Mr Stride, who served as a ministerial aide in the energy department in the last parliament, helping to deliver the 2013 Energy Bill which set key carbon emissions targets, said: ‘Schools, businesses, local authorities – just about anyone interested in reducing their carbon footprint – could learn a great deal by studying what pupils from Okehampton College have done over the last decade.’

Keith Webber, the technology co-ordinator at Okehampton College, said: ‘Our pupils have not only set an example that others will hopefully follow but a generation of students have learned about the importance of protecting our environment and reducing our carbon footprint. They will take this knowledge into universities, businesses they work for in the future and will be able to teach others how to save energy.’

Okehampton College is now helping 11 local primary schools make energy savings.