Every library in Lewisham will provide free 'smart meters' to help residents cut their energy use and household bills, Green Party councillors announced today.

The scheme will see the devices loaned out, beginning in September, just like books.

The imaginative project was the brainchild of Lewisham's Green Party councillors, who came up with the idea and then proposed a successful amendment to the Mayor's last budget in order to fund it. Council officers have taken up the idea and will roll it out from next month.

The device clips onto wires from an ordinary household electricity meter, and a separate portable monitor can be read by the householder as they walk around their home and witness the changes in electricity consumption, cost in pence per hour and CO2 emissions as they switch appliances on and off in turn.

Green Party councillor Ute Michel said:

"Smart meters are simple to use and incredibly successful in helping people to cut their electricity bills and their CO2 emissions by showing exactly which appliances are expensive energy-guzzlers.

"It has been estimated that an average household could save up to 150kg of CO2 a year by turning off unnecessary electrical devices - and in these days of soaring fuel bills that will mean an important financial saving too.

"These meters are still too expensive for many households to buy, so it's an exciting idea that using libraries in this way will make that technology available to everyone."

Although easy to use, the loaned meters will come with an offer of free support and advice.

Council officers will monitor the success of the project and produce a report in the winter.