Editor

There is little doubt that Tomos Barlow means well, and like us all, wish to see a reduction in atmospheric pollution. But unfortunately he is incorrect in his views on large-scale wind and solar generation (Views, 11 March).

It is wrong to claim that wind and solar have the ability to fully meet UK power demand, as large-scale wind, solar, or indeed tidal generation, individually or combined, cannot do this, and it is wishful thinking.

If Tomos disagrees, perhaps he can explain how many wind driven generators (they are not turbines) and solar panels will be needed to meet total UK peak demand (47 GW) and total annual consumption (325 kWh), and also where the electricity will come from during an icy and windless evening in the winter, when demand will be high?

Our technological reliant society will collapse without a sustainable and secure power supply – that is a certainty and we ignore this fact at our peril.

Therefore the UK power strategy should be based on relatively low polluting, efficient, cheap and quick to build gas-fired power stations of the CCGT type.

This ‘core’ generation should be complemented with reliable tidal lagoons and barrages around the UK coast.

This generation mix should also include land-based pumped storage and hydro-plants.It is important to note, and no doubt Tomos will agree,that nuclear fission power stations are horrendously costly, not to mention their decommissioning and nuclear waste insurmountable problems.

Dave Haskell Brithdir Cardigan

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