AN INVESTIGATION into using Portland Race to generate electricity has been called for.

The tidal energy could be used to supply the area with power in the next decade.

A series of turbines could be installed off Portland Bill about 50 metres under the water.

Electricity's future lies in the power of nature, an expert told councillors.

Simon Roberts, chief executive of the Centre for Sustainable Energy said: "There is an energy source racing past Portland Bill every few hours, and we could be tapping into it."

The speed of the Race makes Portland one of few areas in the country thought to be suitable for tidal turbines because it is close enough to electricity demand and extreme storm conditions to make a project viable.

Portland Race is caused when strong tidal streams that flow down either side of the island meet. They break the sea so fiercely that a continuous disturbance can be seen from the shore.

The irregular depth of the seabed makes the water more violent and in normal weather the Race extends two miles south of Portland Bill.

Mr Roberts, a consultant on the Dorset Renewable Energy Strategy, told members of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's environment and conservation committee that the county could be producing 10 per cent of its own power by 2010.

"The vast majority of scientists around the world are saying that climate change is a real threat, which is potentially devastating to a coastal area like this," he said.

"Even if you are not worried about climate change, there are other reasons for using renewable energy."

He told the councillors that there would be massive economic benefits to generating energy in Dorset rather than importing almost all of the county's electricity from outside.

"Dorset spends £365 million per year on energy, not including on transport," he said. "All of that is going out of the county and there is no economic recycling of that money."

Shipbuilders could also benefit from underwater turbines which would need experts to install and maintain them.

Using renewable sources to generate power would help meet the international and national targets to cut emissions of the 'greenhouse gas' carbon dioxide.

On a visit to Weymouth last week, the leading critic of windfarms and popular conservationist David Bellamy said: "Without a doubt, uncontained tidal power is the best type of renewable energy.

"The only people who say no to it are the fishermen, but if you put the turbine in the right place it doesn't need to be a problem."

Already, there are concerns that turbines could restrict the catch of bass and shellfish along the Race.

Portland fisherman Ken Lyneham, Southern Sea Fisheries committee chairman, said: "Using the Race would have a massive impact on the fishing community.

"We would have to know the full extent of it and what restrictions may be imposed."

Keith Gillanders is business development adviser for Regen SW, which was funded by the South West Regional Development Agency to investigate the potential for tidal power in the region.

He said: "The turbines are at a pre-commercial stage at the moment, but the ecology is unlikely to be affected.

"They turn very slowly so there should be no problem to sea creatures and a fairly small amount of energy is taken out of the tide so it should not affect the coastline. But we don't know yet."

Under the Dorset Renewable Energy Strategy several other renewable sources are being considered, including converting old water mills to generate enough power for 500 homes.

Photo-voltaic panels to convert the sun's rays into electricity have been included in the new sailing academy on Portland and could become standard on new buildings in Dorset.

There are no plans to build wind farms in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or along the Heritage Coast.