The Courier’s week ends with analysis of the future viability of renewable energy, the degradation of the Highlands and cyclists on pavements.
Does danger lurk in hydrogen future? Sir,-While the £4.7 million investment in a hydrogen fuel cell centre is good news for Methil, can we be sure that there will be electricity available from wind, wave or tidal turbines in the first place to store in these hydrogen units?
Prior to retiring, I worked for a company which used many types of industrial gases.
Nitrogen and oxygen were stored in large silo-type tanks and were relatively stable.
Hydrogen was stored in banks of cylinders, interconnected with pipes and valves, for safety, indicating the volatility of hydrogen.
Remember the Hindenburg disaster? I would argue that hydrogen is no safer than nuclear.
The decommissioning of nuclear fuel, whether for propulsion or electricity generation, can be contained, I believe, in a sufficiently small location.
This makes this fuel preferable to a proliferation of offshore wind farms, their probable hazard to shipping, especially during bad weather and possible interference with fishing operations an industry which could do without any further problems.
A. T. Geddie.68 Carleton Avenue,Glenrothes.
Biomass would not blight docks
Sir,-As someone who lives within sight of the proposed biomass plant for the Stannergate area of Dundee, my mind has not been made up either way on whether it should go ahead or not, but I was left bemused by John Marshall’s Midweek article concerning the upcoming Dundee City Council debate on the issue (January 19).
He wishes us to take his arguments against the plant seriously.
However, when he claims the proposed site of the plant is a “uniquely beautiful setting” and that the V&A museum project may be put at risk by it, his credibility as a reasoned contributor to the debate takes a huge hit.
The proposed site of the plant is nestled in an area which already plays host to a working port, an oil refinery, an oil-rig maintenance yard, several industrial units, a main road and the Dundee to Aberdeen railway line.
Does Mr Marshall believe all the aforementioned industries are “uniquely beautiful” and would themselves be blighted by a biomass plant?
Or does he believe they should be levelled and landscaped to ensure the V&A project goes ahead despite the damage to the local economy?
Or was the whole article just another excuse to push his party-political agenda at the expense of the facts, as I suspect?
Stuart Allan.8 Nelson Street,Dundee.
Vandalism by environmentalists
Sir,-A team of 20 nature photographers is to spend two years on an extended photo shoot in a government-funded effort to “inspire the public about the Scottish Highlands” (January 18).
Sadly, so much of our uplands have been polluted with the detritus of power transmission it can no longer compete with the unspoilt scenery of New Zealand and Canada. Already the BBC has used New Zealand to shoot Kidnapped, American producers use Canada for “Scottish” scenes and even Braveheart was largely filmed in Ireland.
Meanwhile, the Highlands and Islands Film Commission is vainly pleading with Scottish Electricity not to erect their ghastly 200-foot pylons through some of our nation’s finest scenery.
In the name of environmentalism, “renewable activists” are causing such damage to the countryside that this photo shoot may simply provide a final archive of vanished beauty.
(Dr) John Cameron.10 Howard Place,St Andrews.
Pavement cycle risks
Sir,-I sympathise with Len Martin’s concerns about vandalism at Perth’s South Inch.
However, what amazed me about his letter was the response of police to Mr Martin’s complaint concerning cyclists on pavements. They told him that it was safer for cyclists to cycle there.
What a dreadful response.
Under no circumstances whatsoever should cyclists be encouraged to cycle on pavements.
Do the police not know that the reason pavements were placed at the side of streets and roads is that pedestrians would have a safe place to walk, away from the danger of being struck and injured by fast-moving wheeled vehicles?
Perhaps if more police were to leave their offices and cars and patrolled on foot, as they used to do in my younger years, they would appreciate the danger to the public that is caused by cyclists travelling at speed on pavements.
Robert Addison.11 Forthill Place,Dundee.