Indy energy?

Mark Atkinson (Letters, 28 
October), like Fergus Ewing, believes that Scotland should have its own energy policy. He rightly points out that this would 
imply responsibility for paying subsidies. It would also carry responsibility for meeting infrastructure costs such as the £1.1 billion under-sea link between Caithness and Moray.

The total costs of these associated with Scottish wind energy have been authoritatively estimated to amount to £120bn by 2030; that is about £48,000 for each household in Scotland. Is this really what he wants?

I note that in the same issue you quote Ofgem as claiming that bringing wind-generated electricity from Caithness to Moray will increase the UK’s energy security. It has now been amply demonstrated that wind power, no matter where generated or how distributed, makes no significant contribution to security because of its intermittent availability, and requires essentially 100 per cent backup from conventional generation.

(Prof) Jack Ponton FREng

Scientific Alliance
 Scotland

North St David Street

Edinburgh

Wind farms are built faster than the grid expands. The problem is that on windy days we need to pay wind farms to stop spinning because the grid close to wind farms fills to capacity. The amount of wasted electricity is growing.

According to the Renewable Energy Foundation, the record was broken on Sunday. Those promoting renewables like to boast how many homes can be powered by each scheme, so here’s another boast: on just eight recent days enough electricity to power 50,000 homes for a year was wasted.

We are all paying for this 
electricity that we never receive.

G Moore

Braeface Park

Alness, Highland