By Geoff Fisher Rachel Richmond should read Cllr Greg Peck’s comprehensive demolition of her arguments in his latest View from County Hall.
She and others might also be interested to learn of two conclusions from a report recently sent to Ed Miliband by the National Electricity System Operator, established by him to make sure the UK has the electricity it needs.
Unsurprisingly, Mr Miliband has not seen fit to publicise these conclusions:
- Renewable power is more expensive than gas generation, even before the costs of energy storage, carbon capture and additional transmission lines are taken into account.
- Most of the existing gas plants will still be required to provide standby power for sunless, windless days, and these will need to be fully manned and maintained when they are not required, since they are flexible in a way in which wind and solar are not. So both wind/solar and gas-powered generation will be required, therefore greater costs.
While Count Luca Padulli, the ultimate owner of the Pettywell site through his company Albanwise, will no doubt earn the gratitude of this government and the green lobby, we will bear the cost of this project through higher bills, a damaged local environment and a questionable impact on carbon dioxide absorption.
Michael Pender-Cudlip, Mill Road, Reepham
Geoff Fisher