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I agree - I'd love to see more nuclear power, particularly if we could iterate on the reactor design and build ones that are actually safe and efficient, rather

by douche 10y ago

I agree - I'd love to see more nuclear power, particularly if we could iterate on the reactor design and build ones that are actually safe and efficient, rather than the 60s and 70s models that we're mostly stuck with. The anti-nuclear power movement is one of the great tragedies of the modern age - instead we doubled down on dirty, toxic coal-burners.

marcoperaza 10y ago
We live in a deeply irrational age. From gluten-free, to anti-vax, to organic, to anti-nuclear, the impassioned ignorance that controls us is mind-boggling.
creshal 10y ago
We're stuck on unsafe 70s models because safe modern nuclear power plant designs are just not cost effective compared to literally everything else. It's a shame that coal plants aren't held to the same standards, yes; but I'd rather see both replaced.
- badloginagain 10y ago
  The 70's models are political compromises. The technology to make nuclear reactors far, far safer has been around for as long as the others have. And while the up-front cost of a nuclear reactor is going to be more than a solar farm, the amount of energy you'll be creating is orders of magnitude greater.
  - Retric 10y ago
    the amount of energy you'll be creating is orders of magnitude greater Try running the numbers vs. 2.5 cents per kWh solar power. Further, nuclear costs more to construct, vastly more to operate, and even more to shut down.
  - distances 10y ago
    I'll just point out the nuclear power plant Olkiluoto 3 which is well behind schedule and estimated to cost €8.5 billion [1]. Sure, the original price tag was €5 billion lower, but it's just the materialized cost that matters in the end. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olkiluoto_Nuclear_Power_Plant#Unit_3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olkiluoto_Nuclear_Power_Plant#...
badloginagain 10y ago
http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_shellenberger_how_fear_of_nuclear_power_is_hurting_the_environment http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_shellenberger_how_fear_of_n... A good TED Talk with the speaker going over the data of global green energy supply/demand. China/India's initiatives to build the next generation of nuclear has halted, mainly out of lack of demand and lack of released data. The result has been a net loss of green energy globally, and an even greater loss going forward. Nuclear reactors simply provide more carbon-free energy than other renewables by several orders of magnitude, you simply cannot solve the green energy crisis without a heavy investment in nuclear technology. Unfortunately that investment is hampered by an irrational terror of nuclear energy, even though all the usual candidates for why "nuclear is bad" have been thoroughly and consistently debunked.

by douche 10y ago

marcoperaza 10y ago

We live in a deeply irrational age. From gluten-free, to anti-vax, to organic, to anti-nuclear, the impassioned ignorance that controls us is mind-boggling.

creshal 10y ago

We're stuck on unsafe 70s models because safe modern nuclear power plant designs are just not cost effective compared to literally everything else. It's a shame that coal plants aren't held to the same standards, yes; but I'd rather see both replaced.

badloginagain 10y ago
The 70's models are political compromises. The technology to make nuclear reactors far, far safer has been around for as long as the others have. And while the up-front cost of a nuclear reactor is going to be more than a solar farm, the amount of energy you'll be creating is orders of magnitude greater.
- Retric 10y ago
  the amount of energy you'll be creating is orders of magnitude greater Try running the numbers vs. 2.5 cents per kWh solar power. Further, nuclear costs more to construct, vastly more to operate, and even more to shut down.
- distances 10y ago
  I'll just point out the nuclear power plant Olkiluoto 3 which is well behind schedule and estimated to cost €8.5 billion [1]. Sure, the original price tag was €5 billion lower, but it's just the materialized cost that matters in the end. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olkiluoto_Nuclear_Power_Plant#Unit_3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olkiluoto_Nuclear_Power_Plant#...

badloginagain 10y ago

http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_shellenberger_how_fear_of_nuclear_power_is_hurting_the_environment http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_shellenberger_how_fear_of_n... A good TED Talk with the speaker going over the data of global green energy supply/demand. China/India's initiatives to build the next generation of nuclear has halted, mainly out of lack of demand and lack of released data. The result has been a net loss of green energy globally, and an even greater loss going forward. Nuclear reactors simply provide more carbon-free energy than other renewables by several orders of magnitude, you simply cannot solve the green energy crisis without a heavy investment in nuclear technology. Unfortunately that investment is hampered by an irrational terror of nuclear energy, even though all the usual candidates for why "nuclear is bad" have been thoroughly and consistently debunked.