WJ: A recently released study by MIT finds climate change to be a much tougher battle without the expansion of nuclear energy, but added that the beleaguered industry would likely need supportive government policies.
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology concluded what nuclear energy advocates and some environmentalists have long argued: Nuclear energy is an essential component in reducing the world’s carbon emissions.
Churning out a reliable supply of electricity while emitting zero greenhouse gases, nuclear plants are able to contribute to carbon reduction targets in ways solar, wind or natural gas facilities can’t. Without growth in the nuclear industry — the study finds — the price to reduce carbon pollution will be much much costlier.
“While a variety of low- or zero- carbon technologies can be employed in various combinations, our analysis shows the potential contribution nuclear can make as a dispatchable low-carbon technology. Without that contribution, the cost of achieving deep decarbonization targets increases significantly,” read a portion of the massive 246-page report, which was released Monday.
The findings bring to light an ongoing debate on how the U.S. should best approach the decarbonization of its generation infrasturcture. read the rest
CO2 makes plants grow; it is NOT a pollutant!
(Freeman Dyson believes the world needs much more CO2 for a greener world….)
At the same time, thorium energy is a damn fine idea. ….Lady in Red
First of all you can’t do stupid things like putting nuclear reactors on earthquake fault as we see at Diablo Canyon in California. They should not be staged in coastal areas which may be susceptible to direct hurricane impact. Also critical to the success for future generations is having a plan in place to decommission a plant after its age limit has expired. The greatest concern for many in the United States is why our fuel program doesn’t incorporate recycling of waste fuel as in Europe plants.
“But the dangers of nuclear waste”…will cause liberals heads to explode.
While I’m intelligent, educated, and informed enough to know that CO2 is not a cause of climate change, I still have always thought it stupid to be burning fossil fuels to generate electricity when we have a much better option with nuclear–No air pollution and we can save fossil fuels for the future. Any “environmentalist” who is anti nuclear is not an environmentalist at all just an anticapitalist.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2014/10/01/why-doesnt-u-s-recycle-nuclear-fuel/#78b05c0d390f
This addresses some recycling issues
Nuclear is the TRUE green energy. When managed properly, under strict safety protocol, it is by far a superior choice. Reopen Yucca Mountain storage facility and lets get back to the future.
Reddy Kilowatt could be seen dancing up and down and shouting hallafreakinlujah when he heard about this. If you don’t know who Reddy Kilowatt is you’re not an old geezer like me
@Mickey Moussaoui September 5, 2018 at 11:16 am
> When managed properly, under strict safety protocol
How about, before we trust The Party to manage nuclear holocaust, we first let them prove themselves with something easy? Like nationalizing health care.
Thorium nuclear is even better.
Dixie Lee Ray is spinning with happiness in her grave.
I’ll give you a hearty amen on Dixie Lee Ray, boy did she ever piss off the Luddites when she was alive and she wasn’t a bad governor for an old fashioned Democrat in Wash. state.
Find a modern Adm. Rickover, put him in charge of all the nations Nuc plants, and we’ll be as safe as can be.
Lady in Red, I just saw somewhere that a study shows that tree growth from 1982 to 20?? worldwide is up something like 30-35% in places like Russia and China. Even fire prone calif is up 15%. More facts the media will bury in the lies about climate change.
Yucca Mtn. been completely forgotten by now?
“Nuclear waste, here today, here tomorrow” was the old slogan of the No-Nukes back in the 60’S. Wind and Solar sure as heck ain’t gonna to the trick.
The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository project is not dead, it’s only on life support thanks to low-tech Harry Reid. Until and unless the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 is either amended or repealed, it is the law of the land. It’s too bad that worthless POS Dean Heller fancies himself as Harry Lite because this could be a tremendous financial boon for Nevada.
I am very familiar with Yucca Mtn….
They can reuse those rods. France does. Come on y’all. FRANCE can do it. We can’t?
FRANCE!!!
We reuse them as well – for DU rounds.