OUR politicians believe renewable energy sources can provide Britain with a very high proportion of its electricity needs. That is why huge numbers of wind turbines and roof-mounted solar-voltaic cells are being subsidised at a time when old coal-fired power stations and some nuclear stations will be shut down as they reach the end of their operational lives in five years time.

They should read a new book, When Will The Lights Go Out?, by Derek Birkett, who was a grid control engineer and had many years’ electricity supply and distribution experience.

He says Britain’s obsession with renewable energy will bring years of blackouts and soaring electricity bills and that the Government’s renewable energy expectations are “nothing more than dangerous illusions”.

He also points out that “lavish incentives” given to the developers of wind farms, etc, will hit electricity consumers and taxpayers in their pockets, that renewable energy is intermittent, that the variations are unpredictable and that a lot of CO2-emitting back-up gas and coal-fired power stations will have to be provided to maintain reliable supplies.

Birkett concludes that to avoid blackouts, sky-high electricity bills and even higher taxes we need new power stations based on nuclear energy, natural gas and coal.

It seems a complete rethink by the new Government is urgently needed.

Jim Allan, Hartlepool.