WIND turbines could be put up on school fields and spare land across Lancashire as part of a green energy drive.

Lancashire County Council is carrying out a feasibility study into the project in a bid to raise cash for energy conservation schemes.

The move has prompted objections from rural campaigners who fear that the countryside could be blighted by the electricity-generating "giants."

County councillor Tony Martin, who is in charge of the project, said: "I know people have root and branch objections to these turbines but they are the most effective way of generating energy, short of nuclear power."

The authority, along with other councils such as Blackburn with Darwen, has drawn up its own green strategy in response to Government demands for increases in clean and renewable energy.

They have resulted in projects such as schools piloting solar-powered water heating systems, solar-powered bus shelters in areas where there is no mains electricity, tracking devices which reduce the level of lighting on the M65 as traffic reduces overnight and solar-powered pay and display machines in Blackburn.

One option being looked at by the county council is buying £140,000 second-hand wind turbines, installing them on county council land and selling the power generated to electricity suppliers. A second option would be to rent out land to energy companies to install turbines and pay annual rent to the council.

Money raised would be used to promote energy conservation projects such as discounted insulation in homes.

Turbines can produce energy for 90 houses, reducing demand on natural resources which produce greenhouse gases.

Coun Martin said: "We want to promote as many green policies as possible but we need to do it in a way which is cost effective and benefits as many people as possible.

"We have asked for a study to work out locations, timescales for the turbines and possible way forwards. We will look at land we own everywhere to find sites which would be suitable. That may include schools."

A report to today's meeting of the council's cabinet states that wind turbines present the most effective option for energy production.

Government grants, a partnership with a power company or support from green energy groups would help cover initial costs.

The report said a similar scheme set up in Swansea has been successful, despite still being in its early stages.

But Jill Hatcher of the Council for the Protection of Rural England said: "Safeguards need to be put in place to protect our countryside to make sure valued landscapes are not damaged."

CPRE Lancashire spokesman Peter Mallon said: "Many local communities are unhappy with proposals to build or extend wind farms in places where local people consider them an eyesore."

And Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "They blight the landscape and will damage tourism because they dominate the area.

"The county council would be much better working to conserve energy in its buildings. If it did that properly it would have just as big an impact on global warming as a wind turbine. They belong out at sea."

The Burnley area already has one wind farm and plans are on the cards for two more in the Burnley and Rossendale area.

A spokesman for Friends of the Earth said: "All new developments should include renewable energy sources.

"There is no alternative and planning guidance should be changed so that it automatically finds in favour of things like wind turbines."

A spokesman for the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs said: "We have set a target of producing 10 per cent of all energy by 2010 from renewable sources and wind power is one of the sources of energy we are looking at."