WE welcome Councillor Alan Preest's response to our call for a more open discussion on Lydney Town Council's renewable energy policy and his support of community energy schemes.

A fundamental misconception at the heart of this debate is that solar panels on homes is somehow enough of a solution.

Solar is an important technology to be encouraged wherever feasible. However not all people have suitable roofs and sufficient capital.

In 2012 renewable energy provided 11.3 per cent of our national electricity supply, yet despite a quadrupling of solar installations in that year, it represented just three per cent of all renewable electricity capacity (less than half a percent of the nation's electricity needs).

Even if we manage to significantly increase roof-top solar across Lydney, it will only ever provide part of the solution.

So a policy that supports domestic solar generation is welcome as is the inclusion of renewable energy on new development, but unfortunately it is far from enough.

Wind turbines and larger-scale solar farms will be a necessary and inevitable component of our future energy system.

It's disingenuous to suggest proposed developments are creating terrific local anxiety.

The Alvington Court planning application received more representations of support than opposition.

If anything people's anxiety is being heightened by misinformation and attempts to inflate the actual impact schemes will have.

A single turbine in a farm setting should not be described as 'large industrial scale development'.

So, come on Lydney Town Council, don't pretend solar alone can be a solution. The Neighbourhood Development Plan process is not meant to be a mechanism to stop development.

Let's do a proper renewable energy resource study to show the relative potential and likely contribution from different technologies.

Let's welcome wind energy and other larger schemes which contribute income to our community.

Other councils are looking to use the income from wind turbines to provide insulation grants for local homes.

Let's hold an energy day to give anybody the chance to bring views and ideas.

Dean Community Energy Group is not aligning itself with specific developers or models.

We think all developers should be required to demonstrate a strong community benefit from their proposals.

– Janine Michael on behalf of Dean Community Energy Group.