NEWPORT stands to get a share of £90,000 to put solar heating into social housing across Wales.

The funding, from the Energy Saving Trust, will go to the SWISH project, which has been developed in partnership with local authorities in Newport, Cardiff, Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot, Merthyr Tydfil and Swansea, alongside Newport Housing Trust and Gwalia Housing Group.

SWISH will provide grants for social housing providers to encourage and support the uptake of solar water heating. A spokeswoman for Newport council said: "We are delighted the grant has been given to SWISH and it just shows that Newport is leading the way in exploring renewable energy sources."

Debra Smith, renewable energy manager at Groundwork Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot, which leads the SWISH project, said: "There is huge potential for the SWISH programme in Wales, considering that there are over 250,000 social housing properties, many of which could benefit."