Power games

There should be little surprise at new figures which show that, when demand for electricity soared during last month's cold snap, Britain's onshore wind turbines were often operating at only five per cent of their capacity. After all, it is a long-established meteorological fact that the coldest days all too often coincide with the stillest atmospheric conditions.

In pursuing its inexplicable ideological commitment to wind power, however, the Government regards such facts as inconvenient details.

This is why Britain is planning for a massive expansion of wind power, building 10,000 large turbines, both onshore and offshore, by 2020.

However, even if such a timetable were achievable, it has never been explained how, in a time of austerity, it will be funded. Nor is the Government keen to explain just how little electricity these new turbines would contribute to the National Grid given that the wind blows only intermittently.

In fact, only two things are certain: first, that the completion of this project would mean big increases in electricity bills which help to subsidise the turbine developers; and second, that sufficient nuclear, coal- and gas-generated power stations will be needed to cover for these expensive follies' failure to deliver power at the very time when demand is at its highest.