Renewables are bringing our energy costs down - Yorkshire Post Letters

In his critique of solar energy (The YP, September 4), Peter Auty asks if we'll ever see cheap electricity while production remains in private hands. It's a fair question, but one that applies just as much to gas-fired power as to solar farms.

In fact, gas is worse because there's profit made on the fuel as well as at the plant. The sun's free fuel doesn't demand payment for extraction, processing or delivery.

What's abundantly clear right now is what consumers face this winter. European gas storage is running at historic lows for the time of year, thanks to ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and analysts are warning of a tough winter of high prices as a result.

Without clean energy, gas demand for UK electricity generation would be 2.6 times what it is today. What does Peter Auty think that would do to electricity prices?

He's quick to complain about "greedy landowners" seeking the best return on their assets. But that's no different to greedy BP and Shell investors profiting handsomely from the very conflict driving up gas prices.

I wish things were different, but at least the sun doesn't charge for shining and the wind blows for free.