Madam,

Thursday 7 March proved to be a very windy day and, at 3.30pm, UK wind generation was producing 10.884 GW (28.8 per cent) of total UK power requirement (source gridwatch.co.uk).

Thus, on the face of it, wind generation would appear to be very impressive and as such ill-informed and naive folk would declare that wind is the ideal path to follow for large-scale clean energy in the UK. Unfortunately, when given further scrutiny, the wheels quickly come off the windwagon.

For a start, the wind is far from reliable and such generation would be akin to a ride on a roller-coaster – a real nightmare for Grid management. To put this into perspective the relatively new, efficient and reliable CCGT Pembroke Power Station has a maximum output of 2000 MW, which translates to 2 GW – so, and as an example, should the wind drop and UK wind generation is no more than 2 GW then, for security of supply, we would need at least four Pembrokesized standby power stations ready to come on-line to make up the deficit.

This is not to mention the industrialisation of beautiful Welsh countryside by large wind farms. Therefore you truly have to wonder if the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA), in its wisdom, is seriously suggesting that Wales should become 100 per cent renewable by 2035.

Wind would be a wasteful, expensive and countryside-destroying Grid System for the principality. Solar generation cannot fill a fossil-fuelled/nuclear power station gap with or without wind.

Could they be envisaging tidal power? Maybe I am missing something and, if so, perhaps they would be good enough to enlighten myself and readers?

Yours etc, Dave Haskell, Cardigan.

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