WILTSHIRE'S EMI factory has changed from electricity to Ecotricity a new form of renewable energy.

All of its CDs at the manufacturing plant in Penny Lane, Swindon, will now be produced using green energy sources.

It is believed EMI, one of the world's leading music companies, is the first to change over to Ecotricity which is produced by Europe's first ever green electricity company of the same name.

The first CD being made solely with renewable energy at the factory is the current best selling compilation album in the UK, Now 47, which has gone triple platinum since its release last week. All copies will feature a 'Produced using Ecotricity' logo. The switchover at Swindon is also happening at EMI's distribution centre in Leamington Spa and accounts for half the company's energy consumption.It means EMI will save more than 6,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions which would have been released into the environment.

Richard O'Brien, spokesman for EMI, said: "Ecotricity are the leading company offering green electricity and don't have any other CD manufacturing customers. The plant is still operating the same and the changeover has been very cost effective. But the main benefit is to the environment.

"We have a well developed environmental programme to try to minimise our impact on the environment and this is an interesting and important step in that."

Ecotricity is currently only available to the commercial sector but it will start to be supplied to domestic households next year. Current customers include household names such as The Body Shop, B&Q and The Co-Operative Bank.

Its energy sources from from Deep Green technologies such as wind, hydro and solar power and Pale Green technologies which convert landfill gas and waste to energy.

Dale Vince, Managing Director of Ecotricity, said: "EMI is making a major contribution in promoting Ecotricity to the public and retailing sector and that can only help us to achieve our aim in making Ecotricity available to everybody."