WELL done Winchester city fathers for taking a punt on a project to turn the ancient capital of England into one of its first solar cities.

Well done also for adding a note of caution to plans to make use of up to 50 sites in the city to provide solar energy for hundreds of homes.

As this paper reports, the Town Forum has agreed to launch a pilot project into the scheme that would, if successful, revolutionise energy supplies for the city.

But there are siren voices also that warn that the scheme may be all be pie in the sky.

It is not enough to simply go along with something if it sounds like a good idea, it needs to prove itself, councillors were warned.

Wise words.

There is plenty of hot air surrounding the subject of cheap, renewable energy sources, on both sites of the debate.

Winchester is wise to proceed, but also wise to use a cautious approach.

The sun may be shining on solar energy today, but will it in the future?