Get used to turbines, we will be needing them for years

Sir, – I actually agree that the generating companies are making money at both ends, where wind is too high and also when there is insufficient wind. This seems wrong but is this a too simplistic analysis? I think it is.

It does however, exemplify that old trait of finding the bad in everything, even if it’s outwith the control of humankind. Otherwise stated, don’t do it because it doesn’t work for 100% of the time efficiently.

The populations which dislike wind turbines are reducing, I wish we did not need them but we do and will for probably 50-plus years or so, the alternatives are not acceptable or available at the required volumes, to support our expected lifestyles.

There are other issues which need solving first: Energy reduction; second energy reuse/recycling; then third, safe energy production.

Firstly, energy non-use is good for everyone. Insulate, insulate, insulate. Using materials and processes in which their total production energy is paid back in energy savings over the life of the material and its use.

Secondly, the grid connection charges penalise those far from population centres. The further from the population, the higher the connection fees, and hence the cost per MW (mega-watt) produced. So renewable energy which happens to be most plentiful at the periphery of our country, gets the highest tariff applied, making it less desirable. It is this regime which has been in vogue for years.

Thirdly comes safe energy production, which has been covered many times – nuclear, coal, oil and gas all write themselves out of the longterm sustainability equation.

There are also other tasks which may reduce the need for energy, particularly microgeneration, supported by battery and hydro, to level up the power demand curve. Alistair Ballantyne. Birkhill,

Angus.