Tidal barrage schemes could help solve renewable power problems

ALAN Sangster (Letters, May 27) makes several excellent points on the subject of international co-operation to help combat the problem of intermittency when discussing renewable energy production.

In his listing of the various forms of renewables and in his analysis he fails to mention that the one source that has been singularly ignored by successive governments is tidal barrage or lagoon schemes. No country in the world is better suited to investing in such renewable technology.

It uses proven turbine technology, for it is nothing more than a hydro electric power station but set within tidal waters.

The station has in any one day four periods of generation and these periods are entirely predictable by the tide tables for the location. What’s more there is a 12-hour difference between Cornwall and Caithness.

What is lacking is Government taking an overall strategic view of electricity generation in this country but sitting back and letting the generation companies go for the easy short-term solutions, none of which is going to provide us with a dependable sustainable and carbon friendly electricity supply for centuries to come. Alex Dickson, Inverkirkaig, Lochinver.