A REVOLUTIONARY study on the possibility of powering a market town and surrounding villages with renewable energy is to be unveiled to Petersfield people next week.
The Natural Light Project, which is carrying out the study, is looking at ways of providing low-cost power to homes, school and businesses for a possible pilot scheme.
This could include schemes such as solar panels heating the Taro Centre swimming pool, Ôhome grownÕ electricity in the Festival Hall and green power making housing estates self-sufficient.
The environmentally-friendly energy sources range from solar and wind power to biomass and hydrogen fuel cells.
And the Natural Light Project has been carrying out a detailed study of types of small-scale energy plants which could be built in the district.
Experts believe that domestic plants could be up and running within a year and small-scale commercial plants could be operating inside three years.
Next week Robert Rippengall of Econergy Ltd will be giving a presentation on the project to members of the public and district councillors at East Hampshire District CouncilÕs Central Area Community Committee.
He will be explaining some of the findings of the study and for the first time asking local people to suggest ideas for inclusion in the project.
The study is due to be completed by September this year when a short-list of projects will be compiled.
Councillor Judy Onslow, chairman of EHDCÕs Environment and Countryside Panel, told The Herald: ÒFunding bids will then be prepared with a view to implementing as many of these projects as possible.Ó
She added: ÒWe would love to hear from anyone who is interested in converting to renewable energy. We hope that we will be able to get up to 50 per cent Government funding for household and community-based projects, so please come along and get involved in this exciting opportunity.Ó
The proposals being investigated by the Natural Light Project are high-efficiency domestic and agricultural wood-fuelled boilers, solar panels and small commercial plants.
Last year when the project was announced Guy Riddoch, EHDCÕs sustainable development manager, said the new domestic boilers would use wood-pellet fuel and were a far cry from the traditional Aga. They were, he said all automatic, very efficient and already widely used in Scandinavian countries.
ÒIt also gives us the chance to regenerate derelict woodland. If we start a market for woodchip fuel we can given an incentive to get these areas managed.Ó
Mr Riddoch said that similar systems could be used on farms, providing heat for five or six industrial units.
ÒA plant the size of a house could generate one to two megawatts enough for one to two thousand homes.We might be able to make some of these new housing estates supply their energy needs through this type of plant.Ó
Among the organisations who are already members of the Natural Light partnership and are funding the study are Hampshire and West Sussex County Councils, East Hampshire District Council, Petersfield Town Council, The Forestry Commission and the South Downs Conservation Board.
Members of the public are urged to attend the meeting at East HampshireÕs Penns Place council chamber next Tuesday, March 4 at 6.30 pm.
Anyone who cannot attend but has ideas can contact Mr Riddoch at East Hampshire District Council offices.
A new website has also been created to keep people up to date with all the latest news, sources of funding and information. it can be found at http://www.naturallight.org.uk">www.naturallight.org.uk