Book Review: Non-Nuclear Futures – Lovins and Price

Lovins and Price "Non-Nuclear Futures: The Case for an Ethical Energy Strategy" Ballinger (1975) This book advocates avoiding nuclear power sources, instead advocating solar, wind, and other non-nuclear technologies. The arguments are even more relevant today. This book is written for the layman but presents detailed scientific evidence for those who wish deeper background. Chapters cover fundamental issues, reactor safety, fuel transport and reprocessing, waste management, plutonium toxicity, safeguards, and public policy. A (predictive) quote of a problem with choosing nuclear is that nuclear is "subject to high-consequence low-probability mishaps not readily addressed by traditional mechanisms such as insurance or tort liability" (p 7). Writing in 1975, they seem to have forseen Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1988), and Fukushima (2011). The book unintentionally illustrates the "lag" in global policy decisions. We, nearly half a century later, can now agree with its basic premise, that there are better alternatives to nuclear energy based on renewables. Given this lag time, we will probably be able to reach zero CO2 emissions by, say, 2060, predicted to be a 4 degree climate change.