DORSET Council should take note of two news items published during the last week. Following a competitive auction the cost of offshore wind energy can now be supplied at 4 pence per kWh- the same as the current wholesale price of fossil fuel electricity, without carbon dioxide emissions and without subsidy.
The other news is the estimated cost of building the Hinkley C nuclear power plant in Somerset has risen by up to £2.9 billion to around £22 billion. Our government has committed UK householders to pay French and Chinese state energy companies a subsidy of 9.2 pence per kWh for the nuclear electricity generated- more than twice the price of offshore wind energy. In addition we will have to pay this nuclear power subsidy until 2050 and it will increase with inflation every year. Taxpayers are also currently paying over £3 billion per year to clean up nuclear waste.
Surely now is the time for Dorset Council to look again at the proposed Navitus Bay offshore windfarm 10 miles from the Dorset coast? It was the only UK offshore windfarm to be refused planning consent. If built it would make our entire electricity supply in Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole carbon neutral and would potentially create hundreds of well paid jobs.
Dorset Council has declared a climate emergency- but we need to see some action. The council is in a unique position to be able to decarbonise our electricity supply at no cost to the council or to ratepayers. Seeing wind turbines in the distance off our coast would give younger people hope for the future. Surely this is a no–brainer!
Pete West
Salisbury Street
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