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It’s far more centralized and prone to overly bloated government contracts, big industry, corruption, accounting shenanigans, excessive taxation to pay for the

by natch 6y ago

It’s far more centralized and prone to overly bloated government contracts, big industry, corruption, accounting shenanigans, excessive taxation to pay for the mistakes, and loss of individual freedom and control over where your energy dollars go to. Especially as compared to solar but it’s even bad compared to fossil fuels in these respects.

oblio 6y ago
After solar and wind take off completely, the reality is that for 99% of people out there, they will be as centralized as nuclear is. Both because of industry consolidation and because of practical realities.
- natch 6y ago
  You are confusing centralization of manufacturing, which is possible and not so bad, with centralization of energy production, which is much more insidious.
  - oblio 6y ago
    No, I'm not. The only "personal" production of energy is from solar panels. Which still comes with its own problems, as you generally still want to be connected to a grid, in which case utility companies generally attach a lot of strings. Solar will seem to be less centralized but in reality and over the long term we will have huge solar farms owned by big companies, for the same reason we generally have huge actual farms owned by big companies. And what difference does it really make for the regular user if they get their power from 40 nuclear plants or from 200 solar farms? Wind is super centralized, big companies are building wind farms and big companies are operating them. You need a ton of capital for wind farms.
    - natch 6y ago
      None of this stuff is one or the other. It can be centralized, and also it can be on the average Joe’s roof or in the average Joe’s backyard. With or without a grid. Without the grid, you need some extra equipment so people who can, tend to opt for having the grid hooked up. But it’s possible to do it independently and be free of all the centralization. Oh, wait. Not true for nuclear.

by natch 6y ago

oblio 6y ago

After solar and wind take off completely, the reality is that for 99% of people out there, they will be as centralized as nuclear is. Both because of industry consolidation and because of practical realities.

natch 6y ago
You are confusing centralization of manufacturing, which is possible and not so bad, with centralization of energy production, which is much more insidious.
- oblio 6y ago
  No, I'm not. The only "personal" production of energy is from solar panels. Which still comes with its own problems, as you generally still want to be connected to a grid, in which case utility companies generally attach a lot of strings. Solar will seem to be less centralized but in reality and over the long term we will have huge solar farms owned by big companies, for the same reason we generally have huge actual farms owned by big companies. And what difference does it really make for the regular user if they get their power from 40 nuclear plants or from 200 solar farms? Wind is super centralized, big companies are building wind farms and big companies are operating them. You need a ton of capital for wind farms.
  - natch 6y ago
    None of this stuff is one or the other. It can be centralized, and also it can be on the average Joe’s roof or in the average Joe’s backyard. With or without a grid. Without the grid, you need some extra equipment so people who can, tend to opt for having the grid hooked up. But it’s possible to do it independently and be free of all the centralization. Oh, wait. Not true for nuclear.