Published: Thursday, 28th May, 2009 9:00am

Letter: Blowing in the wind

WEST Berkshire Council leader Graham Jones" pronouncements on increasing Reading"s renewable energy usage ("Voice your climate change concerns", Chronicle, May 21), that planting wind turbines will reduce carbon emissions, have to be taken with a large pinch of salt.

We are constantly misinformed about the number of homes these wind turbines can power - unless you really believe that two 100W light bulbs per home can be classed as being powered. No one ever mentions all the coal and gas power stations that are kept on standby in case the wind drops or rises beyond their operating range, increasing the overall carbon footprint for wind generation.

Perhaps Cllr Jones would like to explain why - when countries like Germany and Denmark which have more wind turbines than the UK - their CO2 emissions have not been reduced by one ounce.

The Danes, who decided in 2002 to build no more turbines, have learnt their lesson. Obviously WBC has still to learn it. Every time I hear that over-used term 'green', I remember it has another meaning: someone who is naively foolish and dangerously gullible.

KEN MANN

Albany Road

Reading

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