There are solutions to Britain’s energy crisis | Letters

The Iran war has exposed the cost of successive governments’ fixation on short-term, vote-winning policies, leaving Britain increasingly vulnerable to strategic coercion, particularly in energy (The UK sleepwalked into this energy price shock, 23 March).

British companies currently lead a new, technologically proven, job-creating industry which, had it been supported earlier, would have strengthened security of supply and reduced costs. It is tidal stream energy.

Britain has about 50% of Europe’s tidal resources, all within our territorial waters and flowing at different times. It is predictable, inexhaustible and can be operational within three years of consent, independent of global energy prices and weather variability. It also avoids grid payments for unused power.

Government data shows that tidal stream support remains a tiny fraction of that provided to offshore wind – well under 1%. With stronger support, its costs could fall to parity with wind within five years. Operational projects in Scotland have already generated more than 70 GWh, while costs are falling by around 17% a year. The constraint is not technical, but political short‑termism. It is time to act.
Rear admiral Rob Stevens
Eastleigh, Hampshire

The energy crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran could indeed be the moment when we shift to a “Greener, cleaner, cheaper, kinder, fairer” world, as George Monbiot concludes (We need to be honest about Iran – and how our rampant greed for oil is causing mayhem, 19 March). Fortunately, a powerful policy opportunity is already under way.

At the end of April, Colombia and the Netherlands will host the first conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels (Taff). The conference will bring together the growing number of countries that recognise a new phase of international cooperation is needed to overcome the burdens of coal, oil and gas. In addition, the Brazil Cop presidency has also invited governments, business and civil society to make proposals on how to deliver Taff in a “just, orderly, and equitable manner”.

It’s important that we in the UK lend our diplomatic and financial weight behind these initiatives. Building a strong alliance behind Taff could be the best response to the chaos and violence in the Gulf.
Nick Robins
London

There seems to be a lot of outrage over having solar farms in the UK (‘It was our little idyll – until the solar farm landed’: the battle raging in the heart of the British countryside, 21 March). Some of this is justified as we don’t want the whole country or useful farmland reduced to just energy production. One solution would be to encourage all houses, where possible, to have rooftop solar. This could provide more renewables without blighting the countryside. An obligation can be put on energy companies to encourage their customers to install solar. Customers could also be encouraged to include battery storage with the solar panels.

Battery installation could be improved further by the over-provisioning of capacity – so if the household orders a 6kW battery, a 12kW battery could be installed. The additional 6kW would be used by the energy firm to store excess electricity in times of low use, and supplied back to the grid when usage is high.

Over time, you would end up with grid-level storage hosted over the whole grid, providing resilience for the energy companies and a way for renewables to provide many of the UK’s energy needs.
Craig Whiteman
Bury, Greater Manchester