Rejecting gas and nuclear energy leaves us sitting in the dark and cold

sir – The surge in energy prices (and the consequent crisis in the critical food supply chain) is a direct result of the Government buying wholesale into climate alarmism and then choosing an idiotic policy response to it.

We had the choice, years ago, to expand nuclear power generation greatly and to become nearly selfsufficient in gas. But a combination of risk-aversion, pandering to nimbyism and succumbing to devastatingly effective lobbying led us to the current situation where we are dependent on unreliable renewables and capricious foreign powers to keep the lights on.

We are engaged in a futile act of deliberate national self-harm. While the Government burnishes its credentials by committing to go further, faster, than anyone else to “net zero”, at gigantic real cost to consumers and businesses, China goes on building coal-fired power stations, adding a Uk’s-worth of carbon dioxide emissions every year or so.

The warm glow ministers may feel from showing “global leadership” on the climate issue will be no comfort to millions shivering in their homes this winter because they can’t afford to put the heating on.

Austin Spreadbury

Enfield, Middlesex

sir – With Vladimir Putin manipulating energy prices in Europe as Opec used to do in the 1970s, the Government needs to explain itself and the reasons for this country’s naive reliance on unreliable wind and solar energy.

Why is there so much talk about net zero carbon when Britain may well be facing power cuts this winter? Will the Prime Minister be relying on his friend President Emmanuel Macron and French electricity to help us keep the lights on ?

Gerald Heath

Kingsdown, Wiltshire

sir – Gas shortage? Whatever happened to fracking?

John Smallwood

West Auckland, Co Durham sir – Simon Heffer (Comment, September 19) tells us that “relying on a tyranny for our power supplies is madness and must stop”.

How right he is. We must build the Severn barrage. The enormous volume of energy that the Moon gives us by sending millions of tons of water up and down the Severn estuary twice a day could provide us with over 7 per cent of the electricity we will need to meet future fossil-free energy needs.

When there is spare capacity, the turbines of the barrage could produce hydrogen to power transport.

Roger Colling

Presteigne, Radnorshire

sir – James Cleverly, a foreign office minister, was asked by Justin Webb on

Today yesterday what happens when the wind doesn’t blow. He said: “We are massively investing in renewables.”

A million windmills or three, when the wind doesn’t blow they generate nothing.

Keith Field

Potters Bar, Hertfordshire