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U.S. Produces More Power from Wind and Solar Than Nuclear for First Time

38 points by lexber 4y ago

credit_guy 4y ago
> Burning coal and other fossil fuels like oil and gas has been established as the leading factor in climate change. Coal, oil and gas. What other fossil fuels are out there?
- pauljurczak 4y ago
  Wood, plastic trash, etc. Poorer people will use anything that burns for heating.
- pvaldes 4y ago
  > Coal, oil and gas. What other fossil fuels are out there? peat
pauljurczak 4y ago
On average over April 2022. Great propaganda piece for anyone who is comfortable having access to electricity most of the month.
mikewarot 4y ago
I'm glad we're starting to take these energy sources seriously. I just hope we don't abandon Nuclear as the base-line relatively clean fuel to power us until we're done with oil.
hunglee2 4y ago
US could be a powerhouse in renewables. Tap into the geothermal from Yellowstone also and we might be seeing the solidification of permanent US hegemony
moneywoes 4y ago
Why are we moving away from nuclear?
- Manuel_D 4y ago
  Serial production stopped in the 1980s. The US lost the economies of scale of it's nuclear industry, so plants built after that experienced higher costs. That, plus misinformation about the safety and environmental impact of nuclear power.
  - einpoklum 4y ago
    You mean, the _failure of_ misinformation about the safety and environmental impact of nuclear power.
- breadloaf 4y ago
  Because we have cheap, but unreliable sources to run. Will get reversed during first bigger blackout
- einpoklum 4y ago
  Because it's 3x more expensive. I would _like_ to say because it's still dangerous, and you also have to commit to managing the waste for thousands of years, which is costly and dangerous, but that consideration is probably not paramount in US politicians' minds.
- fundad 4y ago
  Cost to taxpayers. It’s politically unpopular to propose a 10-year public works project with very unpredictable budget unless it’s a highway. If it doesn’t get cancelled, ratepayers pay for the power and a surcharge to fund retiring the plant.

38 points by lexber 4y ago

> Burning coal and other fossil fuels like oil and gas has been established as the leading factor in climate change. Coal, oil and gas. What other fossil fuels are out there?

pauljurczak 4y ago
Wood, plastic trash, etc. Poorer people will use anything that burns for heating.
pvaldes 4y ago
> Coal, oil and gas. What other fossil fuels are out there? peat

pauljurczak 4y ago

On average over April 2022. Great propaganda piece for anyone who is comfortable having access to electricity most of the month.

mikewarot 4y ago

I'm glad we're starting to take these energy sources seriously. I just hope we don't abandon Nuclear as the base-line relatively clean fuel to power us until we're done with oil.

hunglee2 4y ago

US could be a powerhouse in renewables. Tap into the geothermal from Yellowstone also and we might be seeing the solidification of permanent US hegemony

moneywoes 4y ago

Why are we moving away from nuclear?

Manuel_D 4y ago
Serial production stopped in the 1980s. The US lost the economies of scale of it's nuclear industry, so plants built after that experienced higher costs. That, plus misinformation about the safety and environmental impact of nuclear power.
- einpoklum 4y ago
  You mean, the _failure of_ misinformation about the safety and environmental impact of nuclear power.
breadloaf 4y ago
Because we have cheap, but unreliable sources to run. Will get reversed during first bigger blackout
einpoklum 4y ago
Because it's 3x more expensive. I would _like_ to say because it's still dangerous, and you also have to commit to managing the waste for thousands of years, which is costly and dangerous, but that consideration is probably not paramount in US politicians' minds.
fundad 4y ago
Cost to taxpayers. It’s politically unpopular to propose a 10-year public works project with very unpredictable budget unless it’s a highway. If it doesn’t get cancelled, ratepayers pay for the power and a surcharge to fund retiring the plant.