IN A RECENT edition of the Times, I read an excellent letter by John Wakefield and Julie Trott regarding installing wind turbines to generate electricity.

This letter was particularly poignant for residents of Brent Knoll as we almost had five turbines installed on our "doorstep".

Had it not been for a very active local committee raising thousands of pounds in order to pay the legal costs of expert counsel for a ministerial enquiry in Burnham in August 2007, we would have lost our case and the only people to benefit would have been Ecotricity.

How many of your readers would appreciate the fact that a megawatt of electricity produced by wind-power would cost £34 as opposed to only £4 per megawatt by more conventional means.

Apparently the increased cost arises due to the need of a conventional power station having to stand by to produce an equivalent level of electricity just in case there is no wind or possibly too much for the turbines to operate. This is an absurd situation.

There was a situation reported in Australia recent where ice-laden turbines were lying idle in the still air, solar panels covered in snow, gas reserves down to eight days and pensioners burning books to keep warm.

This is happening because politicians have been conned by anti-industrial greens into neglecting reliable and economical power from coal and nuclear generators.

When this global warming madness passes, future generations will remove these derelict solar and wind infrastructures and return to the more traditional methods of producing electricity.

How long do we have to wait?

I have a stack of correspondence and reports relating to the Brent Knoll wind-farm enquiry that was held three years ago and would be pleased to pass it on to anyone from West Huntspill should they wish to make contact.

Maurice Jackson Church Lane Brent Knoll