We could have centuries of clean coal power

I READ with interest the letter from C J Laverack (Yorkshire Post, November 29) regarding the future of electricity. I agree with him totally in his views on nuclear generation, but then he argued for renewables.

In theory, I am all in favour of viable green sources of power, but please no wind farms. These monstrosities are a potential disaster. The huge cost of wind turbines is only exceeded by their complete lack of reliability. A couple of winters ago we had an incredibly cold spell brought on by high pressure. High pressure equals no wind! During this spell, I frequently drove past the wind farm at Lissett and believe me not one turbine was moving. We were saved from freezing to death by those dirty old coal-fired power stations.

In fact these stations have to be kept ticking over continually in case the wind drops but there is no need for them to be dirty – clean-burn technology is not a pipe dream, it is actually quite close. In this country some years ago the Coal Research Establishment was a world leader. Sadly the then government closed the project down just prior to the privatisation of our coal industry.

Since then other countries have taken up this clean coal technology, especially China, where tremendous advances are being made. Sadly the most advanced unit in Britain, at Hatfield, has been told by the Government that there are no funds available to continue their pioneering work.

In Britain today we have some 300 years of known coal reserves. In a sane society, surely we would be using those 300 years of clean coal power generation while we worked on the development of viable green resources such as tidal power? Many people may disagree with me – but just watch your electricity bills go through the roof.