Energy worries

I sent the following inquiry to Scottish energy minister Fergus Ewing MSP a fortnight ago and I am still waiting for a reply.

I am not an expert in energy issues, only a citizen who is concerned about future energy provision in Scotland.

These are the points which I made to him which I would like answered:

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Certain facts about Scotland’s current energy sources lead me to conclude that Scotland will face a major energy crisis in about ten to 15 years’ time.

First, both Scotland’s nuclear power stations will have to be decommissioned then, due to age. They produce 35 per cent of our electricity at present.

Second, coal accounts for 25 per cent of our electricity production, but it contributes massively to global warming and should not continue.

Third, wind farms produce some 20 per cent of our electricity.

I know that current government policy is to rely more and more on renewables, especially wind farms.

But wind farms do not supply energy at a consistently high volume – when the wind drops, production stops.

Wind farms can only be a supplementary source of energy to some other source which is constant and reliable. What is that other source?

Over the next ten to 15 years we may lose all electricity production from nuclear and coal-fired sources.

That represents some 60 per cent of our present supply.

So my question is: what is the long-term energy strategy to avoid the crisis which is looming up once our nuclear and coal-fired production stops?

Les Reid

Morton Street

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