I READ with interest about the proposed Poppleton Junior Football Club’s new clubhouses, and its wind turbine and solar panels (The Press, November 14).

Firstly, being a sportsman, and knowing the popularity of the football club, I wish the management well with their efforts to build a firm base.

However, I would question the means that are being proposed for heating, lighting and hot water generation.

All the wind turbines I have seen are on exposed beaches or on the tops of hills.

I know the wind can blow at times down Millfield Lane, but to successfully power a turbine?

I work for a large consultancy, and we are shying away from the use of turbines and solar panels due to the high initial costs, maintenance costs (glycol “waxing”) and the length of payback periods.

The cost of both is stated as £86,000. This does not include back-up costs for (presumably), a gas-fired heating installation, power wiring/lighting, cooking or for domestic/showering hot water and a mains cold water supply.

Normally, total mechanical services for a building cost around 15 per cent of the overall budget. Similarly, electrical services 15 to 20 per cent.

This building is expected to cost approximately £0.5m. £86,000 represents 17 per cent of this figure for these two items alone, and they will need to be backed up with mains electricity when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining to avoid problems with Legionella.

Our cost-effective “green” method is the use of air-sourced heat pumps that can feed a boiler, producing primary water at 80C to heat the building satisfactorily and produce all the safe domestic/showering hot water required.

I appreciate a small external compound is needed to house the heat pumps, but this is at ground level, readily accessible for future maintenance.

M Harrison, Millfield Lane, Nether Poppleton, York.