Homes, businesses, cars and boats on Stronsay in Orkney would be powered by "clean" hydrogen.

Even the ferry to the isle would be hydrogen-fuelled.

Residents believe the scheme will revitalise Stronsay's economy and put them at the forefront of the renewable energy industry.

But the ambitious plan can only go ahead if the islanders win massive funding from the National Lottery. Locals are being asked to back the scheme and a lottery bid is due to be lodged in January.

The plan is to harness cheap wind power to produce hydrogen, which would then be used to power fuel cells or converted to liquid to run engines.

Stronsay already has three wind turbines. Another three would be needed for the hydrogen scheme.

Fisherman William Caithness, a director of the Stronsay Development Trust, said: "If we were to become the only UK island to run on renewable energy, the spin-offs would have a massive effect."

But Mike Holgate, chairman of the Orkney Renewable Energy Forum, admitted: "To convert the whole island to hydrogen fuel will be asking a lot of the people of Stronsay in terms of a change of lifestyle."

The only waste product of hydrogen fuel is water, and some experts believe it will eventually replace oil. Hydrogen-fuelled cars have already been tested in several countries.

The people of Stronsay believe their plan could become a blueprint for other islands.

The 700 residents of the Shetland island of Unst have already been urged to turn to hydrogen to safeguard their future after an RAF early warning base on the island closes next year.

A final decision on lottery funding for the Stronsay project is due to be made in the spring.

HYDROGEN is seen as the answer to cheap, clean energy as oil prices rocket and supplies drop.

Stronsay would use electricity produced by wind turbines to run an electrolyser plant.

That breaks down water into oxygen and hydrogen, which is burned in a combustion engine or fused with oxygen in a fuel cell.

Engines require few modifications to run on hydrogen, which could be burned for as little as 15p a gallon