Cameron’s student idealism could prove costly at ballot box

SINCE the beginning, it has become more and more obvious that the concept of wind factories is, to say the least, a controversial subject. “You can’t fool all of the people all of the time”, goes the well-worn maxim, however, it’s becoming increasingly clear that only a handful of wind disciples 
now believe the system to be viable.

The early prophets of wind power, enthusiastic to the point of religious fervour, must now have realised how deluded they’ve been but sadly are in the unenviable position of admitting they were wrong, David Cameron being one.

This once beautiful country has been blighted by this ironwork in the sky and so has the sea and for what? A system which after all this time hopes to produce 15 per cent of our power requirements by 2020, 15 per cent being less than one sixth of our needs.

And that is only the hope. These monuments to fanaticism and illogical belief litter the sky and the landscape, calling for backup when the wind decides not to blow as it has in extreme heat and extreme cold exemplified in the last twelve months. These Green self-delusionists wish to inflict their Alice in Wonderland beliefs on a country powerless to resist as we are in the hands of weak politicians without a mind of their own.

The “green” industry is also likely to receive £6bn in subsidies by 2020. I don’t claim to be a mathematician but I reckon that’s about £1,000 per head for every man, woman and child in this country. This, of course, is once again from money borrowed and on which interest has to be paid. This is the logic of the madhouse and a nightmare for anybody with a business brain. Except of course, the recipients who look over their fields and smile, And what do they see? Their pension.

David Cameron has made many brave and sensible decisions during his time in office for which he is to be applauded but he needs to be careful. Most of our recent elections have been of uncertain outcome, the result on a knife edge. Amongst all the positive things which have been achieved, the promotion of wind factories and gay marriage have been ill judged and divisive. This student idealism has been at a high cost, two items which could cost him the election.

From: John Watson, Hutton Hill, Leyburn, North Yorkshire.

I AM pleased to hear, that at last, we are getting serious about clean-coal technology, but what a shame that we have to be subsidised to the tune of £300m from Europe.

I understand that last year subsidies for wind farms were £1.2bn. If that figure was put into CCT we would be able to build four power stations. I know such an idea would be anathema to the Green lobby whose policies in the global warming fiasco are likely to bring this country to its knees, financially.

I have learnt that of the total CO2 emissions worldwide Britain is responsible for only two per cent. What are China, India, Russia and the US, whose total emissions exceed 40 per cent, doing about it? I am told that China is in the process of building coal-fired power stations as fast as it can. I don’t know what is happening elsewhere but it appears that we are taking too much of the blame and suffering economically for it.

One thing about power stations is that the end product is a certainty. You can’t say that about wind power. Just last week one community was told by the High Court that they had not a leg to stand on when they were up against windmills being built too near their houses.

If ever there was a case for the hated Human Rights Court, this was it, but they don’t want to know. I now hope that these latest plans get the “go ahead” and we produce our own power in our own land with our own natural resources and don’t have to rely on dodgy imports.

From: Brian Rickerby, Joint Managing Director, energyTEAM, Burgess Hill, West Sussex.

JUST under 10 per cent of our generation capacity has gone off-line this year alone as coal-fired power stations are being shut down under the EU Large Combustion Plant Directive, and nuclear sites are closing as they reach the end of their natural lives. The net result is that the UK is heading for power shortages unless action is taken now.

Ironically the recession has helped keep the lights on as 
the power requirement in the 
UK has dropped dramatically 
(a closed factory uses little or 
no power!) but increased industrial and commercial demand as we rise out of recession will come just as power plants come off-line.

The argument for a “mix” of power sources that includes renewable energy is, I believe, unequivocal. Undoubtedly we will need to build new traditional power stations – and now – 
but the Government cannot overlook the potential that 
shale gas presents.

In America, shale gas has dramatically reduced CO2 as 
well as reducing their dependency on the import of natural resources. That is not to say we should just “accept” fracking without robust checks into its safety and suitability.