Energy saving should be at the top of political agendas ahead of the Copenhagen Climate Change summit, according to the Cumbria Green Business Forum.

John Barwise, chairman of the efficiency-promoting organisation, claimed the government should look to put more energy saving measures in place as a priority before looking to spend money elsewhere.

He said: "Before we start spending billions of pounds on supplementing the energy we are using, we should deal with the energy we are wasting."

His comments come after a report published by the European Renewable Energy Council and Greenpeace illustrated that smart electricity grids powered by renewable sources could meet our fuel demands in the future.

Mr Barwise noted that while energy saving measures in UK households and businesses should be a more immediate concern, smart grids should be part of a longer-term plan.

Renewable energy is the only resource which guarantees the security of the country's power production in later years, he explained.