IN recent weeks, a number of Echo letters have questioned the need for the planned wind farm off Poole Bay, suggesting alternative schemes using tidal or solar power that they say could be developed in its stead.

The DECC actually plan to see all three of these technologies providing our renewable energy. They expect 25 GW off-shore wind, 22 GW solar PV and 2 GW tidal/wave capacity installed by 2020. (The bulk of tidal/wave installations are expected after 2020, possibly 30 GW of a potential 50 GW by 2050.) When these numbers are adjusted to account for the ‘capacity factors’ of each technology, the 2020 plans would equate roughly to 6 per cent, 2 per cent & 0.26 per cent cuts in UK carbon emissions respectively.

DR MARTIN RODGER, Bloxworth Road, Poole