SIR — I am not surprised that district councillors found the green study presented to them as part of the evidence base for the local plan too boring (Free Press January 20).

I too have failed to enthuse my fellow Porlock parish councillors on renewable energy matters.

I wonder if this is because many people, including myself who has a background in electrical engineering, entirely fail to relate to the importance or even the relevance of "carbon saving"?

My monthly reports on the output of the solar arrays on the Old School roof met with the glassy-eyed indifference I have come to expect from the non-technical until I pointed out that those PV arrays produced enough electricity to save the oil equivalent required to propel my medium-sized car for around 16,000 miles, which is over two years, use.

The response from councillors changed from "Yeah, whatever" to "Wow!"

I think this is because the increasing cost of fuel is immediate and financial, whereas climate change is in the distant future and people have evolved not to waste much energy on planning for the distant future because it more often than not turns out very different than that which we expected.

Maybe the proponents of renewable energy should take a leaf out of the bible of "Big Business" and concentrate on the money aspect of life and at least make some effort to provide the basis for a decent future for coming generations.

Dave Britnell,

Redway,

Porlock.