Sir, – Colin D Young chastises me for using the word “clean” for nuclear energy.
I stand corrected since I meant the electricity produced was “clean” because no carbon dioxide was created.
Today, as I write, gas was producing 61.9% of our electricity, nuclear 13.1% and wind 22.4%.
What solution does Colin Young suggest when gas is banned and what is he going to do when gas is also banned for cooking and heating?
Meanwhile the rest of the world is burning fossil fuels, building coal-fired plants and driving 1.45 billion petrol/diesel vehicles.
You can read Colin D Young’s letter here.
Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
Key role to play for net-zero goal
Sir, – In his letter, Colin D Young rather pedantically takes issue with Clark Cross’s definition of nuclear power as “clean energy”. The disposal and storage of nuclear waste has long been an emotive issue.
However it is increasingly obvious if governments continue to pursue their deluded, self-imposed netzero targets, their flagship policies centred on wind power will fail to deliver reliable electricity supplies.
We are paying through the nose to subsidise green energy which, when environmental, manufacturing and decommissioning factors are taken into account, is certainly not as clean as some would have us believe.
As yet no power source is without environmental consequences. Those who persist with this net-zero obsession should realise nuclear power has a key role to play. While we await the delivery of the holy grail of clean energy – nuclear fusion (as opposed to fission) – we should welcome the small modular reactors being developed by Rolls-Royce that will help ensure security of supply to domestic and industrial consumers alike.
Alternatively, Mr Young may prefer to add some environmentally friendly warm winter woollies to his wardrobe.
Neil J Bryce, Gateshaw Cottage, Kelso.
Waste claims won’t help energy policy
Sir, – Colin D Young makes the most alarming claims about the dangers of nuclear
power and associated waste. Until these claims are supported with accredited information on how the dangers are measured and compared with alternatives, I suggest your readers treat them as unsupported assertions and of little help in developing policy for netzero electricity supply.
Dr Allan Duncan, Abingdon, Oxfordshire.
Johnson needs a magpie in garden
Sir, – Looks like Boris’s coat is on a shoogly peg. Maybe if he said “I can’t remember, I was just in the garden watching a magpie”, he would get away with it.
Brian Wilkinson, North Square, Aberdeen.