TWO villages in the Ribble Valley could be entirely powered by wood energy in as little as 10 years.

A study by the Lancashire Woodlands Project has shown Chipping and Downham could both benefit from the European-style green-energy revolution - burning wood instead of oil or coal.

But although running costs would dropbe less than existing systems, the initial cost to implement the scheme would be around £980,000 in Downham and £2.6million for Chipping.

Paul Bullimore, project officer, said: "While the study will not lead to a district heating system in the two villages in the near future, it has provided very valuable information about the cost of installations and fuel supply options and most importantly has raised the profile of wood heating with many people.

"It is not viable at the moment because of the costs to dig up roads and land to sink the main heat pipes, link these with individual houses and install wet radiator heating systems in many houses. But if oil and gas prices rise as predicted the scheme could quickly become viable because of the long-term saving. It is feasible that it could be under way in 10 years."

Wood energy is a cost-effective energy source and many European countries use modern technology to make boilers clean, efficient and easy to operate. The method also helps the proper management of woodlands as old trees are removed and new ones planted.

The Lancashire Woodlands Project study, funded by Lancashire County Council, Forestry Commission, Countryside Agency and the North West Development Agency, gathered data about energy use in Chipping and Downham and carried out a technical assessment of the local infrastructure. Key findings showed:

it is technically feasible to develop and run modern wood-fuelled district heating systems in both villages,

attitudes from people in both villages were generally positive to wood energy, as long as fuel costs were kept the same or reduced,

and there are plentiful wood fuel resources for both villages to supply the wood chip boilers.

More information is available on the Lancashire Woodlands Project website, www.lancashire.gov.uk