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The problem with nuclear energy is that it's 3-4x the price of solar/wind per unit energy[1], and it takes 10+ years to build most reactors. If you want to cut

The problem with nuclear energy is that it's 3-4x the price of solar/wind per unit energy[1], and it takes 10+ years to build most reactors. If you want to cut carbon emissions ASAP it's important to pick the fastest, cheapest zero-carbon solution. 1: https://www.lazard.com/media/451445/grphx_lcoe-02-02.jpg https://www.lazard.com/media/451445/grphx_lcoe-02-02.jpg

drannex 6y ago
The true mean construction time for nuclear reactors is only 7.5years¹ and this does not take into account the new Small Module Reactors (SMR) that are substantially smaller that are starting to be put into production² ¹ http://euanmearns.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-a-nuclear-power-plant/ http://euanmearns.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-a-nucle... ² https://phys.org/news/2020-10-viability-small-modular-nuclear-reactors.html https://phys.org/news/2020-10-viability-small-modular-nuclea...
- CogentHedgehog 6y ago
  This is FALSE. The World Nuclear Industry Status Report[1] "estimates that since 2009 the average construction time for reactors worldwide was just under 10 years, well above the estimate given by industry body the World Nuclear Association (WNA) of between 5 and 8.5 years." The most promising SMR project is already hitting the same delays and cost overruns that plague the nuclear industry. Citation: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/11/several-us-utilities-back-out-deal-build-novel-nuclear-power-plant https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/11/several-us-utilities... Quote: "announced that completion of the project would be delayed by 3 years to 2030. It also estimates the cost would climb from $4.2 billion to $6.1 billion." 1: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-energy-nuclearpower-idUSKBN1W909J https://www.reuters.com/article/us-energy-nuclearpower-idUSK...
- AtlasBarfed 6y ago
  So 7.5 years. Solar/wind are dropping in price at double-digit percentages per year, as are numerous metrics for battery storage for cost. in 8 years, solar/wind with -10% (which is actually conservative in the last 20 years, solar has been dropping 15-20% per year I believe) will be only 40% of the current cost.

drannex 6y ago

The true mean construction time for nuclear reactors is only 7.5years¹ and this does not take into account the new Small Module Reactors (SMR) that are substantially smaller that are starting to be put into production² ¹ http://euanmearns.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-a-nuclear-power-plant/ http://euanmearns.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-a-nucle... ² https://phys.org/news/2020-10-viability-small-modular-nuclear-reactors.html https://phys.org/news/2020-10-viability-small-modular-nuclea...

CogentHedgehog 6y ago
This is FALSE. The World Nuclear Industry Status Report[1] "estimates that since 2009 the average construction time for reactors worldwide was just under 10 years, well above the estimate given by industry body the World Nuclear Association (WNA) of between 5 and 8.5 years." The most promising SMR project is already hitting the same delays and cost overruns that plague the nuclear industry. Citation: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/11/several-us-utilities-back-out-deal-build-novel-nuclear-power-plant https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/11/several-us-utilities... Quote: "announced that completion of the project would be delayed by 3 years to 2030. It also estimates the cost would climb from $4.2 billion to $6.1 billion." 1: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-energy-nuclearpower-idUSKBN1W909J https://www.reuters.com/article/us-energy-nuclearpower-idUSK...
AtlasBarfed 6y ago
So 7.5 years. Solar/wind are dropping in price at double-digit percentages per year, as are numerous metrics for battery storage for cost. in 8 years, solar/wind with -10% (which is actually conservative in the last 20 years, solar has been dropping 15-20% per year I believe) will be only 40% of the current cost.