RESIDENTS have taken part in a major European research project into solar energy.

The Transition Newent Energy Visioning Group which meets in Kempley village hall has represented the UK in a European Union citizen science study to map out why more people don’t use solar energy in the UK.

Solar panels were installed on the village hall’s roof six months ago to heat the building and provide renewable energy for local residents, following a 10-year fundraising campaign by Kempley Produce Market.

The EU is currently focussing on sustainable energy in a bid to make the region carbon neutral by 2050.

The project has been overseen by the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), which is part of the Council of Europe, and aims to engage citizens in research.

Martin Brocklehurst from Kempley, who is part of the social advisory board for GRECO and a founder of the European Citizen Science Association, said the solar power project is already bearing fruit.

New solar panels that will be nearly twice as efficient as they are currently are in the pipeline and there are also new ideas being developed to repair existing solar panels.

One prospect is a ‘solar skin’, where the outside of a building is used to generate renewable energy.

Mr Brocklehurst said: “A solar skin as part of building design and houses without conventional large space heating and electric bills might seem like tomorrow’s technology, but members of the Newent transition group show that this is not the case.

“Citizens can deliver these changes and projects like GRECO will flush out just who is slowing progress right across Europe.

“Citizens engaged in scientific research is a phenomenon sweeping the globe as ordinary people start to take control of our common futures and demand accelerated change to deal with the climate change emergency.”