SOMETIMES it feels like this island of ours is being constantly battered by winds from the west.

But not so, according to a House of Lords report.

Wind that reaches these shores is so unpredictable it will make it hard for the UK to reach a target that Europe must generate 20 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Oh to have the more consistent solar power of the Med or the hydro-power of Scandinavia instead.

So where do we go from here?

Leaving aside the anguish of many protesters who believe giant wind farms would scar the landscape to an unacceptable level, there are still problems with a wind-powered future.

In the distant future tidal lagoons and barrages may be part of the answer, if a hugely expensive one.

But to keep our homes warm and our computers plugged in until then, it looks increasingly likely that we shall have to rely more heavily on nuclear power.

The Lords report argues that nuclear power is a low carbon, reliable and cheap source of energy that would minimise our risk of power shortages in the future.

But while the experts wrestle with the figures, this whole issue gives us yet another reason to turn down those thermostats and switch off those lights.