So you think you've got problems paying your heating bills?

The Wiscasset Community Center, which celebrates its tenth year of operation this month, uses about 30,000 gallons of fuel oil, at a cost of about $82,000 a year.

A study is now underway to see if converting to solar heat might be the answer to reduce fuel costs, reduce the use of fossil fuel, reduce CO2 greenhouse gas emissions, and "become an international example for Green Energy Independence," in the words of a report presented recently to town officials.

The companies that presented the proposal, called "The Wiscasset Community Center Solar Thermal Project," are Combined Energy Technics, FW Webb and EOS Solar.

"Energy comes at a very high price, and it can be measured in more ways than just money," the report says.

"It has become a political, ecological and ethical issue."

Town Manager Arthur Faucher and Todd Souza, the town's Director of Parks and Recreation and the director of the community center, are in early discussions with the companies.

Assuming a 15 percent increase in fuel costs annual, the projection is that the center will spend $1.93 million over the next 10 years, and contribute 671,000 pounds of CO2 to the atmosphere each year.

The cost is estimated at $296,000. After state and federal rebates of over $96,000, the cost would be about $200,000. Switching to solar and the reduction of the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere would be the equivalent of removing 27 modern cars from the road annually, the report says.

"This design will show an estimated return on financial investment in eight and a half years, based on an annual 15 percent increase in fossil fuel costs."

Principals in the three companies include Brian McDonald, Combined Energy Technics in Sanford; Larry Spalding, FW Webb in West Bath; and Steven Stinson and Nathan Greenleaf, EOS Solar, in Rockland.