GEOLOGISTS and geophysicists at Heriot Watt University last week concluded from detailed study that the Captain Sandstone saline aquifer beneath the Moray Firth, much mooted as being capable of CO2 storage from Scottish industry for up to 100 years as a part solution to fossil-based electricity generation, was geologically too prone to gas leaks rendering it unsuitable ("Experts rule out Moray Firth as option for storing greenhouse gas", The Herald, December 1).

Logically, Herriot Watt proposes that further geological research should be directed at other sites where CO2 has been found during failed oil and gas drilling in previous years.

Before we imagine that this will provide future research opportunities for our next crop of high school geology students the public may be unaware that under the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), Higher Geology was dropped some years ago.

Aberdeenshire, being, naturally, a watershed for energy-related science study identified at the time that there existed a demonstrable, trending increase in students wishing to take Geology at Higher level, yet still it was dropped.

Geology as a science, lest we forget, was founded in Scotland in the 18th century by James Hutton and should continue to be an essential part of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) learning.

Hats off, therefore to Aberdeenshire, which flying in the face of Holyrood’s ideas of what constitutes science, now enables some students in some schools to study for the Welsh Exam Board qualifications in the subject.

As an electrical engineer should I also worry that Ohm’s Law and the basics of direct and alternating current follow geology and be dropped from CfE, since proven electrical science would fly in the face of Holyrood’s wind turbine-based future?

DB Watson,

Saviskaill, Langdales Avenue, Cumbernauld.

I RAISED a query as to whether the phase-out of the use of gas in Scotland extended to a ban on the import of shale gas to Grangemouth (Letters, November 13). Does the subsequent wall of silence from Holyrood mean the future of such imports hangs on a very shoogly nail since not a single MSP has rebutted the suggestion of any ban on the import of gas from the United States? The impact on Grangemouth of such a policy would have a major impact on the Scottish economy, especially if the work transfers to Norway giving our Nordic competitors a huge boost to their manufacturing output. Has such a scenario been included in the Growth Commission report drafted by Andrew Wilson?

In addition, replacing gas with electricity requires an additional 84,000 MW above the current 14,000 MW of installed generation needed to meet a maximum demand of 5,000 MW. At £5 million per installed MW results in a capital cost of £420 billion which is 25 times the annual cost of the NHS. Has any MSP ascertained whether the 35per cent of Scots living in fuel poverty can pay such an increase in their energy bills?

Ian Moir,

79 Queen Street, Castle Douglas.