Grid references
The “Renewables to set new record in Scotland” article (22 December) certainly praised the record contributions of wind to electricity generation in Scotland, with statements like “Scotland’s clean, green energy resources are now playing an increasingly crucial role in the security of Scotland’s energy supply” and “Initial fears that high levels of variable output over short time periods could destabilise the National Grid have been proven wrong”.
We are living in the now, and not post-2025, by which time the coal-powered stations will have been shut down unless they are all converted to burn biomass by cutting down all the trees around us. Furthermore, there are no plans to build more gas-powered stations or nuclear (other than Hinkley Point, with its uncertain commissioning date).
I was looking a few times at the National Grid and can quote a couple of random days with wind contributions 12/12 - 1.3GW (2.77 per cent) and 21/12 - 1.21GW (2.88 per cent). There were no solar contributions, so the main providers were coal, gas and nuclear, as usual during these lulls. If there is too much wind when it is not required, some wind farms will be switched off the net and still paid.
When there is not a need for all the electricity dispatchable plants can produce, they are paid to run on stand-by so that they can be ramped up when the wind suddenly decides not to blow. For all that extra energy and to subsidise wind, we all pay approximately £200 extra per annum.
When we have shut down the coal and nuclear power plants and no replacement for elderly gas power plants have been provided for, we will enjoy having electricity only when the wind is blowing at a suitable strength over a large enough area of the country. Nobody will invest even in gas fired power plants at present as the intermittent supply rewards will not be sufficient to cover the investment.
Good job we are part of the UK net as we only have one gas-powered plant left here in Scotland and no plans exist to replace our two remaining nuclear facilities. We are totally dependent on net import of energy from England when wind and solar are insufficient and that is often, as the article states that averaged-out renewables only covered over 50 per cent of our demand..
Journalists, by all means hail the progress, but add a bit about the likely downsides and how the lack of future dispatchable energy could be resolved. Even more wind and solar will just add to the problems. JOHN PETER
Monks Road Airdrie, Lanarkshire The SNP gets away with their ruinous “electricity from wind” policy” (Scotsman, 21 December) due to the ignorance of the population. This is an urban party selling to city dwellers, who think they are getting free electricity from the wind and who will probably never see a real windfarm in their lives, or if they do it will only be in passing. If they had to live with these devices in Morningside or Bearsden, the entire wind industry would be killed stone dead overnight. MALCOLM PARKIN Kinnesswood, Kinross