AROUND 400 council houses in Welwyn Hatfield are set to be fitted with money-saving solar panels.

The news emerged after the borough council was chosen to take part in a government-financed pilot by the energy company Eaga.

The panels, which will be installed at no cost to tenants, will convert natural light into electricity for use in the home.

They will also help cut tenants’ fuel bills and assist the council in reducing its CO2 emissions.

If the pilot is successful, the scheme could be extended to other properties throughout the borough later this year.

Cllr Roger Trigg, executive member for housing, said: “We are proud to start the new year with such a positive and innovative scheme, which will mean real savings in our tenants’ energy bills and their overall carbon footprint.

“We recognise how important it is for our tenants to manage the cost of keeping their homes warm and comfortable.

“Our homes have already been recognised as some of the most thermally efficient in the UK and this strengthens our commitment to energy efficiency even further.”

The news has also been welcomed by Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps.

“This is exactly the sort of practical approach we’re looking to unroll across the country,” the shadow housing minister said.

“Too many people think that everyone has to make sacrifices to be greener, but this pioneering scheme shows that isn’t true.”