The lazy wind has run out of puff

ON Wednesday June 7, the Press reported that, for the first time in the UK, more than 50% of the UK’s midday power of 35.4 gigawatts was being generated by wind, solar and nuclear energy combined. Of course, it was a particularly blustery day, so the wind energy industry was very quick to splash the information across our TV screens and throughout the Press. They reported that solar provided 7.6 GW and wind energy provided 9.5 GW.

Well, a mere 12 days later at 6am on Monday June 19, I’m staring at the National Grid website www.gridwatch-templar.com. At 5.55am the UK was using only 23.94 GW because most people were tucked up in bed. Of this, coal was providing 0.61 GW or 2.55%; gas (CCGT) was 11.59GW or 48.41%; nuclear was 8.05 GW or 33.62%; solar 0.10 GW or 0.42%... and wind energy was a fantastic 0.17 GW or 0.71%. Please note that even at 5.55 am, with the sun not long having risen, it was still managing to produce almost as much electricity as the lazy wind on this lovely morn. The wind has really run out of puff after a few strenuous days last week. It’s a sprinter, not a marathon runner.

I look forward to reading braggadocio reports on current production from the wind energy industry in tomorrow’s Press.

Wind energy is even less reliable than a politician’s profligate promises. What if this was January and it was minus 10 Celsius outside? Wind energy is leading the UK to catastrophe. Wake up UK.

Lyn James Jenkins Cardigan