Energy mix

Niall Stuart of Scottish Renewables and Lang Banks of WWF highlight public support for renewable energy (Letters, 31 March).

Yet curiously they both fail to acknowledge one important aspect of public opinion on energy issues – the overwhelming support for re-nationalisation of the electricity industry, as evidenced by a recent YouGov survey.

There is widespread anger at the level of energy company profits, which have rocketed since the beginning of the financial crisis.

Meanwhile, a lack of affordable energy is a contributory factor to the tens of thousands of cold-related deaths that occur in the UK each year.

If Messrs Stuart and Banks wish for public opinion to influence our energy policy, then surely they would be delighted for the electricity industry – including the renewables sector – to be run on a not-for-profit basis – or are they only 
interested in public opinion when it serves to advance their agenda?

William Starkey

Crook of Devon

Kinross-shire

You published an interesting letter from Scottish Renewables and WWF Scotland which calls for the next UK Government to continue to develop Scottish renewable energy.

Your report on the same day – one in five Scottish homes “fuel vulnerable” – says it all. There are 360,000 people in Scotland struggling to pay fuel bills.

More renewables means more subsidies means more higher energy bills.

Dan Arnott

St Brycedale Court

Kirkcaldy