Shropshire has been chosen as the location for an international bio-energy study tour taking place this week. This will to look at how more of our energy could be generated from ‘renewable' sources. Experts and delegates from across Europe countries will be visiting the region to see what has been done so far. They will also look at what a particularly rural area can do in the face of rising energy costs and energy's impact on climate change.

The event is being co-ordinated by Shrewsbury based Marches Energy Agency. Tristan Haynes, Project Manager for the charity said "Clearly compared to our Swedish visitors who are generating 40% of their energy from wood, we have different challenges and some way to go in Shropshire. We hope this event can begin to take some of the opportunities out there forward."

Over the course of two jam-packed days, delegates will be shown a diverse range of technologies. They will visit Ludlow to see how energy is being generated from the digestion of green waste from householders. On the second day they will learn how an innovative Staffordshire-made unit is heating and powering Harper Adam's Agricultural College.

Delegates will be staying at the Long Mynd Hotel in Church Stretton which has just made the switch from heating with gas & oil to wood chip, avoiding the emission of some 150 tonnes of CO₂ per annum. They have also switched to low energy light bulbs throughout saving a further 11 tonnes.

The delegates will even travel around the region on a coach fuelled by biodiesel made from waste cooking oil and the impact of their visit itself is expected to be minimal.

Support for the project has been offered by the Regional Development Agency (AWM), Shropshire County Council, The National Trust, NFU, South Shropshire District Council and the Forestry Commission. It is also backed by South Shropshire Housing Association who have just commissioned an entire development to be heated by woodchip.

Tristan added, "Clearly this project could have great economic and environmental outcomes for the region. We are extremely grateful to the European Commission and our sponsors here in the West Midlands, including AWM's Rural Regeneration Zone, for enabling this project to happen."

The event will take place on April 1^st and 2^nd.