STAFF at Dorset County Council are celebrating after being shortlisted for an award celebrating the benefits of renewable energy.

The council was nominated in the most proactive local authority category of the Green Energy Awards.

The council is described by energy agency Regen SW as having created a renewable energy system action plan as well as appointing a renewable energy development officer.

It has also increased bio-diesel use from five per cent to 20 per cent across its fleet of vehicles.

County council environment spokeswoman Hilary Cox said: "I'm not surprised that we are nominated at these awards because if we put ourselves forward for something I'm always confident that we can do well.

"We have achieved our aims of sustainability and renewability and this bodes well for the future. "This nomination shows a continuation of the work which has won us other awards.

"We won a national award for a calendar we published giving hints on advice on how to be more energy efficient through simple measures such as switching off lights you don't need."

There are five awards in total, including best home installation, most proactive local authority, best renewable energy scheme, best business innovation and best community scheme.

The awards cover Gloucestershire, Bristol, Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall and are open to private organisations, councils, homeowners with renewable energy schemes and communities who benefit from renewable energy.

The event is designed to 'celebrate South West England's status as a leader in innovation in renewable energy'. The awards will be presented at a gala dinner on November 15 at the Winter Gardens in Weston-Super-Mare.

Renewable energy company Ecotricity has sponsored the event. Ecotricity co-founder Dale Vince said: "Not everyone realises the burning of fossil fuels to make electricity is damaging our environment. In fact it is the single biggest cause of climate change in our country today, responsible for 30 per cent of our carbon dioxide emissions.

"We take the money our customers spend on electricity and invest it in clean forms of power like wind energy."