Cremators to heat crematorium offices in Taunton

Councillors are set to vote on the proposals at a meeting on Thursday

Cremators could be used to heat up a Somerset crematorium chapel and offices.

Taunton Deane Borough Council said it was looking at the option of using the cremators to save energy elsewhere and make money by selling excess electricity to the National Grid.

Other options include installing solar panels to council-owned buildings, such as swimming pools and council houses.

Councillors are set to vote on the proposals at a meeting on Thursday.

Installing a "heat recovery system" at the crematorium is expected to save £2,400 a year and reduce carbon emissions by 23 tonnes a year, officers said.

Investing about £100,000 in solar panels will generate 5% of the Deane House's annual electricity needs.

Over 25 years, the council expects an income of £425,000 through feed-in tariffs by selling electricity back to the National Grid, and a carbon reduction of 425 tonnes.