Readers' letters: We need transparency on energy proposals

Offshore Wind Projects off the Scottish coast are estimated together to generate 25 gigawatts of renewable electricity.

A power cable is laid at an offshore wind farm (Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA)

If this is accurate there are a number of questions which must be answered.

Is there a plan to ensure that there will be sufficient reliable generation when wind output is very low, as happened on a number of days in 2021?

Alternatively, when the wind fleet are delivering high levels of power output and there is excess generation will this be put to good use rather than consumers having to pay large sums for it

to be 'constrained of'?

Wind generation supply to the Grid does not provide inertia and synchronicity and we should be told what other means there will be to make this available.

Before these schemes go ahead the government should ensure that they are evaluated using whole system modelling and reduction in emissions estimated.

What evidence is there to show that increasing wind capacity will make the price of electricity affordable to low income families?

Considering the level of subsidies provided by the UK government I think it is in the public interest that there should be more transparency regarding these energy proposals.

C Scott, Edinburgh.

Short-term lets plan is watered down

On 8 January 2020, the Evening News reported the SNP government had announced, following consultations, a new licensing scheme for short term housing lets.

The legislation would allow the council to determine whether a short-term let was suitable based on density, residential amenity and housing shortages in the area.

Adam McVey, Edinburgh Council leader, is quoted as “pleased the authority’s call for new legislation had been successful”.

Now we hear the legislation has been watered down and no longer covers the number of short-term lets in any area.

This particularly affects Leith and the city centre, where numbers are overwhelming. Reports also suggest 30 per cent of housing in The Old Town is advertised for tourists.

The SNP seems to be in another fine mess, failing to prevent the loss of so many homes to the tourist sector and feigning surprise that long term rental costs are increasing due to demand exceeding supply.

I assume Adam McVey is no longer happy.

Alastair Murray, Edinburgh.

Students helping on wards is a great idea

What a brilliant idea to send medical, nursing and midwifery students to help out in hospitals.

For those of us who trained as nurses over 50 years ago in an Edinburgh hospital and came out after three years as Registered General Nurses, we started at 17 and a half, spent four weeks in the classroom and then we were out in the wards, with further four-week blocks in the classroom throughout our training.

We learned from the more senior student nurses, the staff nurses and the ward sisters, who were always very ‘hands on’.

It was a steep learning curve but there was fun and camaraderie. Even the permanent ward domestic staff would look out for you.

We wanted to be nurses and care for patients, the training was tough but the standards were very high and job satisfaction was the result. The staffing levels were good and we got paid – £365 per annum in 1968 was our first salary.

Maybe there needs to be a re-think how our nurses are trained and gain experience. It could even prevent the large drop out rate.

Dreena White, Blairgowrie.

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