Green energy does not work

It is a dull Wednesday morning at 7.28 on 30 October, and the website gridwatch is telling us that 58% of our electricity is coming from gas power stations, a reliable and cheap form of energy. A further 14% we receive from our nuclear power stations, most of which are in their last stages of production. And biomass-sourced energy from Drax power station gives us 10%, a source that is about as ‘green’ as an orange. The government is only continuing subsiding it to prevent blackouts. Intermittent wind power accounts for just 4% of electricity generation and even more intermittent solar output is zero, although the sky is light. (Hydro and other sources complete our domestic energy sources with 3% and 1%). We need to buy 16% of our electricity via interconnectors from France 7%, Norway 5% and Denmark 4% – sources that may not be available in a cold spell. (Percentages add up to over 100% as we are sending 2% to each of the Netherlands, Northern Ireland and Eire). We can cover nearly all of our land, and that miniscule 4% input from wind and solar would be not much more in similar weather conditions). Take away biomass (please) and interconnector supplies and we are left with gas and nuclear supplying 62% of our energy needs. With a coherent energy policy, reliance upon these dependable sources alone could give us cheap electricity, especially if we allow North Sea development. As it is, our domestic and industrial energy costs are the highest in Europe, and can only increase. All politician-speak about green energy creating jobs is hogwash, unless we expand our national gas and nuclear sources, instead of importing and subsidising foreign wind and solar components, suppliers and operators. Will any politician raise his head above the green cloud of hope and face reality?

Terry Breverton