Jump to content

The energy debate - Nuclear vs renewable


admin
 Share

Recommended Posts

As an intersting aside to all this, the development of renewable energy would be a lot further advanced in the UK if it hadn't been for the fact that the "Alternative Energy Authority" (a government-funded body) of the 1980s was governed by the Atomic Energy Authority, who didn't really want anything else stealing their limelight, or appearing less deadly or that. I remember documentaries on the subject at the time, though I'm not sure if I can really call it a fact, as Google holds no records.......

 

As a species, I reckon we're pretty goosed, though. It's not the energy sources that are the problem, but the unneccessary ways in which we use them. Our economy depends on the fact that we make and consume a whole bunch of slester (damn your automated asterisks) that we don't really need. No government really wants to rock that boat. They come up with ineffectual initiatives like "The Carbon Trust" (christ...) to make a bit of a fuss whilst achieving nothing. The idea of being "carbon neutral" is a personal favourite, where it's okay to drive big cars, have Xmas lights to rival Blackpool and put down fresh laminate flooring every week, just as long as you plant the odd tree.... I bet they were up all night dreaming that one up. If they ever wanted to REALLY change anything, taxation would be the obvious answer. That would stop unneccessary comsumption in it's tracks, but who'd vote for that? Perhaps we need a benign dictatorship.... The idea that humans will save the world simply because it's the right thing to do , has no historical precedent.

 

Anyone know any good websites for cheap flights?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 97
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Guest Anonymous

Maybe we could replace the SIC with a dictator. Going on with energy I have to point out as others have that wind and wave power are not reliable. Indeed the coldest Shetland nights are often calm. Tidal energy is at least reliable although it can have serious side effects on the environment of estuaries.

 

Not all bad news though. If we cant get clean nuclear energy, and now that Bush has decided the US is not going to depend on foreign oil that might just happen, the answer has to be finding good safe ways to store renewable energy such as the pumped water storage scheme at Dinorwic in Wales. Spare electricity at night pumped water up a mountain and at peak times the water powered a hydro electric plant. Simple and safe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What the heck, go the whole hog and make them run on generator hamster wheels to earn their keep, while producing hot-air, and all the planet's problems are solved.

 

Mind you that is a lot of CO2 and would need to be contained. Maybe the new parliement building should have been built on the moon, it probably would have been cheaper :wink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Anonymous

Nuclear is not inevitable. People bemoaning the lack of advance in renewables - the chief reason for that is lack of government subsidy in comparison with other energy sources. Provide the conditions for investment, the private sector will be all over renewables like a rash.

 

Also a very valid point made - cutting consumption. Absolutely critical.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(Just to say, the lines of blue text in Njugle's contribution immediately above are both links to relevant articles. I'm sure you mostly sussed that out for yourselves, but I'm just adding this for the sake of anyone who didn't. The articles are about: 1) A wind-farm project in Cumbria which was knocked-back by the planning authority, and 2) Bush's nuclear deal with India.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...