A Self-Energized City?

A town on Ireland's eastern coast is experimenting with running entirely on its own power. Dundalk is fueling a 1.5-square-mile "Sustainable Energy Zone" — including a school, a hospital and an industrial park — with a woodchip-fired heating system, a wind turbine and self-powered streetlights, according to Sustainable Energy Ireland.

The citywide experiment, funded by the European Union, is expected to make a significant impact on energy sources. Sustainable Energy Ireland says by 2010, renewable energy will produce at least 20 percent of the heat and electricity used in the Sustainable Energy Zone.

If the experiment is successful, replicating it elsewhere could be a boon to energy-starved nations. Stay tuned.

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