THE stand-off in the Crimea serves to illustrate the fragility of our energy policy. We are heavily dependent on imported gas, and some of that comes from Russia.

Our responsibilities to the population of the Ukraine are questionable, but even if we wanted to apply sanctions our Eastern bloc suppliers could retaliate by screwing down the supply valve on the pipeline.

This crisis should serve as a wake up call. It is time to halt the rush to plaster the country with wind generators and start a genuine renewable policy, such as tidal barrages with electrical generating capacity.

The natural gas we need could come from native shale deposits, and would actually lower the global carbon footprint since it wouldn’t have to travel from Russia or the Gulf.

Andy Baldock, Villa Grove, York