A project aiming to make schools greener has reached a landmark moment with more than one million kWh (1 GWh) of biomass heat consumed, saving 367 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

In a partnership with Wiltshire Council, schools have been swapping carbon-heavy oil burners for eco-friendly biomass boilers.

Wiltshire Council, which has a number of rural schools which have previously relied on oil for fuel, installed the boilers at 10 schools over the past two years.

The boilers use biomass which is formed from compacted sawdust from wood which is sustainably sourced in the UK. This is turned into pellets to create a green fuel source.

Toby Sturgis, cabinet member for the environment, said: “This pioneering scheme is fantastic for our environment and guarantees schools warm classrooms with the reassurance that the energy is being produced in a sustainable way.

“It also means the children are able to learn firsthand about how technology is helping us to reduce our carbon footprint.”