COUNCIL tenants could be bathing in water heated by the sun if a pilot project receives the go-ahead.

Richmondshire District Council has received funding for a solar-powered water-heating scheme.

Scottish Power has given the authority more than £20,000 to install the system in nine properties.

A bid for more money from the Department of Trade and Industry's Clear Skies fund could mean up to 20 homes having solar panels fitted.

Colin Dales, head of the council's housing unit, said: "The aim is to reduce fuel bills for our tenants, but the bigger picture is about sustainability and the green agenda.

"If it is successful, we would look to build the system into our mainstream improvements programme.

"For instance, subject to funding, if we went to re-roof a property we could incorporate solar water heating as well."

Mr Dales said the system was simple to install and worked whatever the weather.

"It is a misconception that solar power only works on a bright sunny day.

"Whenever there is daylight, it will heat the water. Obviously the hotter the day the more hot water you get, but the panels do work in winter as well as summer."

If the project is approved by councillors at a meeting on Tuesday, volunteers will be sought to test the system for a year.

A supplier of the solar panels has already been found by the Energy Efficiency Advice Centre, which is working with the council.

The Solartwin system is said to be more energy efficient that others, as it uses solar power, instead of electricity, to run the water pump.

It is designed to minimise disruption and installation costs by using existing plumbing and hot water cylinders.

Mark Hill, leader of the Yorkshire Green party, welcomed the pilot project, but said Britain was still not using enough solar power.

"It is a drop in the ocean and not the sort of progress we need to be making to bring climate change and fuel poverty under control," he said.

"In Germany in 2001 alone, they installed 100,000 solar thermal systems."