THE results of a study into the future of renewable energy in North Yorkshire have been published.

The county has been set a target of producing 194 megawatts of electricity from renewable sources by 2010. However, there is currently only about ten megawatts of installed renewable energy generating capacity.

A study, co-ordinated by North Yorkshire County Council, has produced guidance for planning authorities when they are dealing with housing developments and proposed renewable energy sites.

It recommends that developers should be set targets so a certain proportion of energy used on a site is from renewable sources.

Other recommendations include making some renewable sources easier to develop by removing the need for planning permission.

The county council's director of environmental services, Mike Moore, said: "The guidance recognises that, to meet national and regional targets for renewable energy generation, a significant amount of renewable development will need to take place in North Yorkshire."

The area in the middle of the county, from the north of the Hambleton district to the south of the Selby district, including the city of York and along the Vale of Pickering, has been identified as the area least sensitive in landscape terms to wind turbine developments.

Consultants working on the study also came up with an energy hierarchy which provides authorities with a prioritised approach to energy issues. It advises them to firstly reduce the need for energy, then use energy more efficiently, before using renewable energy and making clean and efficient use of fossil fuels.