Shetland Islands Council are inviting residents in Brae to submit their views over potential future energy needs for the area.

A study is being carried out by Local Energy Scotland, with the support of Delting Community Council, to develop a Local Energy Plan which will identify ways to reduce energy costs and strengthen the local economy.

Brae is one of four communities in the Highlands and Islands being supported by the European Regional Development Fund to carry out a study under the COBEN project ("COmmunity BENefits"). The other areas are Oban, Barra and Vatersay, and Drumnadrochit.

Some targets of the Local Energy Plan include;

• raising awareness about how householders can save money from heating their homes

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• tackling the high level of fuel poverty in Brae

• developing local energy projects

• gaining support for funding bids to deliver the above targets

In addition, ideas will be explored for moving Brae away from a centralised energy supply to more community owned enterprises, which could provide cheaper energy for their local area through the use of renewables.

Alastair Cooper, Chair of the Local Energy Plan steering group, and Chair of Delting Community Council, said: "We know that Brae has a high fuel poverty rate with some 58% of homes paying more than 10% of their income on home heating. Businesses have high overheads in their energy costs and local public transport is limited, with fuel costs continuing to rise. We hope to be able to find solutions through the development of a Local Energy Plan for the Brae area.

"We're really keen to hear from people living in Brae who can give us their thoughts on local energy use and what would be best to help reduce their energy costs. The survey responses we receive will help us to develop funding bids that will help to make Brae sustainable in the long term."

To provide your views, an online survey is open until midnight on Sunday, 22 April here.

(LM/MH)