Energy mix

It was heartening to read about the launch of the Cromarty Hydrogen Project (your report, 6 May). This facility will produce 20 tonnes of hydrogen per day. It will be green hydrogen, made by using electricity to split water into its constituent elements. One major advantage of this process is that it can be switched on every time there is excess generation by wind turbines. It thus offers a form of electricity storage to back up wind generation.

However, this does not solve our present problem, namely that loss of nuclear generation now that Hunterston has been closed has resulted in a rise in burning gas to generate electricity, thereby increasing our CO2 emissions at a time when it is imperative that we reduce them. Also, the war in Ukraine has forced us to put energy security at the top of our agenda. Relying on gas to power our electricity while we are importing that gas from other countries is a bad strategy, as well being environmentally damaging.

The case for nuclear generation is therefore stronger than ever. Nuclear provides emission-free electricity 24/7 and it is an excellent back-up to intermittent generation by wind and solar.

We face huge increases for electricity on all fronts – electric cars, electric heating, trains, lorries and public transport. Meeting that huge demand will require a broad mix of generation which includes wind, solar, tidal and nuclear. That broad mix is also our best answer to the threat of climate chaos. Simply burning more gas, as Scotland is now doing, is the worst answer.

LES REID Edinburgh

renewing calls for a windfall tax. While the UK Government is claiming that this will impact on investment by these companies, the irony is that BP boss Bernard Looney has said that such a tax would not impact on its proposals.

Other countries also do not seem averse to imposing such a tax. Italy has imposed a windfall tax, to cushion the impact of energy price rises, with the levy on energy industry profits rising to 25 per cent from 10 per cent. Spain has also agreed to remove taxes from home energy bills, which would instead be paid by enforcing a windfall tax on companies profiting from the surge in energy prices. It is highly immoral that oil companies are benefiting from excess profits, while households struggle, and yet the UK Government is unwilling to act to impose a one-off windfall tax to cushion the blow. ALEX ORR

Edinburgh