When electricity boards went on the offensive

This week is Energy Saving Week, so it's maybe appropriate that BBC4 has launched a three-part series, which shows how it is we came to use the amount of electricity we do.

The Secret Life of the National Grid is a three-part series that charts the development of Britain's national electricity grid and "how it sparked modern Britain into being - transforming our landscape, our politics and our lives".

Last night's programme showed how the Grid was established. Next week's programme shows how, once the Grid was established, great efforts were made to encourage people to use as much electricity as possible.

So electricity boards went on the offensive and actively promoted electrical appliances - particularly high current ones such as cookers and immersion heaters. Electricity showrooms became a fixture on high streets to entice the British to use electricity in their homes.

The series continues on 2nd and 9th November. (Pic: Greenpeace)

Read the Ashden Awards report Power to our neighbourhoods: towards integrated local sustainable energy solutions.