DIFFUL SOLAR PUMP----Solar panels to power eco-studio

The 18 solar panels are said to generate enough electricity to power The Premises' guitars, amplifiers and microphones all year round.

The studios in Hoxton, east London, have been home to singers from Nina Simone to Charlotte Church.

Friends of the Earth have endorsed the initiative saying it shows how businesses can save energy and money.

The solar panels on top of the three-storey building are calculated to supply sufficient energy to keep the studio throughout the year.

The Premises managing director Julia Craik said: "We've been doing dry runs with bands like Bloc Party and the sound quality is phenomenal.

"These days more and more music artists are thinking about their carbon footprint so it was only a matter of time before a fully-fledged eco studio became a reality."

Friends of the Earth director Tony Juniper said: "The Premises solar powered studio highlights how businesses can use modern technology to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions and save money."