Time for a realistic debate on net zero targets

sir – The challenges of meeting the Government’s environmental goals are becoming clearer by the day.

From next year car manufacturers will be fined if they don’t hit their targets for electric vehicle production (Business, January 16), despite ongoing problems with range anxiety and the shortage of charging infrastructure.

Unrealistic targets for the installation of heat pumps are threatened by a shortage of qualified engineers, as well as the technical difficulties of retrofitting the pumps.

But the biggest problem is the cost of the products. If I replace my Kia car with an electric model, it will cost me twice as much. If I replace my gas boiler with a heat pump and suitable radiators, it will set me back at least £20,000. These costs are not feasible for most people, and the state of Britain’s finances means that subsidies are unrealistic. It’s time for a debate based on facts, not wishful thinking. Roger Gentry

Weavering, Kent

sir – My area is becoming a mass of concrete, with new warehouses and “towns”. Not one has solar panels as standard (Letters, January 14). I was told the warehouses’ roofs would not take their weight. Instead, we are losing agricultural land to solar farms.

When I inquired about this missed opportunity, I was simply told: “We don’t do things that way in Britain.” Janette Weekes

Kilsby, Northamptonshire