Sir, – Green Party leader and former minister for energy Eamon Ryan challenges me (October 28th) to clarify my views on several aspects of Irish energy and climate change policy. He writes: "Perhaps Colm McCarthy could help by clarifying if he accepts the scientific consensus that tackling climate change will require us to build a completely clean power system within a few short decades."
There is indeed a scientific consensus, which a quick Google search would show me to have acknowledged repeatedly, that excessive greenhouse gas emissions need to be curtailed. Mr Ryan appears to believe that this consensus extends to the construction of a “completely clean power system”, whatever that might mean. I am not aware of any such consensus. The scientific consensus is that emissions need to be curtailed. The most cost-effective means to that end has been extensively studied and consensus is elusive.
He continues: “If he does accept that assumption then he needs to show how he would do so without having recourse to additional wind power”. My preference would be for a global carbon tax pitched at a level sufficient to attain the needed emission reduction. This tax would be technology-neutral, and not prescriptive about wind or any other elixir.
The next query is “ . . . why does he not argue for the closure of the peat-fired power stations which are more expensive and polluting than the wind farm alternative?”
The peat-fired stations are indeed egregious emitters and I have (Google again) argued for their decommissioning for aeons.
Why did Mr Ryan not do something about them when he was minister for energy?
It has not been demonstrated that further wind capacity on the Irish system is a cost-effective contribution to the pressing problem of climate change. It is disheartening that Mr Ryan seeks to imply that critics of the wind bonanza are unconcerned about the climate threat.
Has the Green Party been sold a pup by the wind energy lobby? – Yours, etc,
COLM McCARTHY
Dublin 18.
Sir, – As if all the rain this morning was not depressing enough, the picture in your Business + Your Money supplement (“Tilting at windmills”, October 28th) of the wonderful view of Mount Errigal, Dunlewey and the Poison Glen in Co Donegal being ruined by a massive wind turbine had me choking on my breakfast cereal. – Yours, etc,
CHRISTIE COLHOUN,
Ballymena,
Co Antrim.