LETTER: Producing more energy than we need

I assume he is referring to my comments as director of Ransomwood Business Park, as opposed to Wood Business Park.

I feel he has entirely misunderstood my comments. I was referring to the fact that 70 percent of our business park is running fully off solar during daylight hours. In other words we privately invested £600,000 of our own money into this solar farm and whilst we do get some subsidies, our main income is from our own tenanted buildings.

I agree with Mr Wragg that solar farms put in purely for the subsidies are not appropriate but we have our own off-grid supply. Our private investment will take eight years to pay back.

We are producing more energy than we need and so export a quarter of what we produce. We are looking for our own ways to utilise this extra energy and are presently considering reducing heating costs by part-heating the water with that energy.

As a business park our main usage is during daylight hours, as opposed to residential developments, so I believe it is an entirely appropriate investment.

What I don’t understand is why Mr Wragg would prefer us to use energy from local power stations such as Drax, which imports its wood fuel from North America.

Does he seriously think this is good for the environment or the public purse, when we can produce our own energy for at least the next 25 years with zero emissions?

It is also wrong to compare wind power to solar.

Wind turbines have significant mechanical parts which tend to need replacing after seven years, where as solar doesn’t.

Our next investment will be into battery storage, which will soon be efficient enough to afford.

This will mean that the energy produced in the daylight hours can be utilised at any time of night and day.

Why on earth do you prefer seeing massive power stations running at full capacity benefitting only the large power companies?

Given the choice Mr Wragg, I would work towards getting rid of the National Grid altogether and create local grids supplying into local communities and businesses.

I don’t think you realise how much energy is wasted down large power lines from power stations but if you did there is no way you would be writing the letter you have?

Charles Cannon

Director,

Ransomwood Business Park