Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Think tank says nuclear is not viable option

There are many of us who have always assumed that the nuclear power generation option was the reliable, if not necessarily the most pleasant or desirable, backstop; perhaps giving mankind a few more decades leeway in order to develop more efficient and cost effective renewable energy power generation options.

It looks as if we will have to think again. This report via Reuters suggests that the planet cannot afford it, in terms of cost, logistics, or of security.

" ... if it [nuclear] was to play a significant part in curbing carbon emissions, nuclear power would have to provide one-third of electricity by 2075. That .... meant building four new nuclear plants a month, every month, globally for the next 70 years."

One of the report's conclusions is:- "Unless it can be demonstrated with certainty that nuclear power can make a major contribution to global CO2 mitigation, nuclear power should be taken out of the mix"

Back to the "Arks 'R Us" drawing board then .......

1 comment:

Emma said...

These days I usually have to pause to consider the background of the originators of such reports for both agenda and validity, but this certainly states some pretty clear issues for consideration and clear answer. Which, to the best of my knowledge, isn't out there.

So one has to wonder, in light of various headlong rushes being advocated, especially as government level, how such things have not been deemed worthy.