The blogger City Hippy wants to know why anyone would want a nuclear power plant in their backyard:
Other findings of the survey:
But Oswego isn't the only one. Click here for a list of cities and states that have passed resolutions in support of new nuclear build in their own backyards.
One last note: Saying that the world has to decide between nuclear energy or renewables is a false choice. The fact of the matter remains that future energy demand will rise so much, that there will be more than enough room for nuclear energy and renewables in the marketplace. It's just that over the next few decades, we're going to need baseload power generation, and right now, the only technology that can provide that baseload power is nuclear energy.
UPDATE: Opinion is shifting overseas as well. From Time's European edition:
[W]hat if someone wanted a Nuclear power plant in THEIR backyard???Actually, there are more people who feel this way than you might think. According to a recent survey conducted for NEI by Bisconti Research, 76% of people living within 10 miles of an existing nuclear power plant are willing to have a new reactor built near them.
I had a chat with a friend the other day...he is convinced Nuclear is the Green solution, our salvation to climate change. When I asked him if he would have a Nuclear power plant in his backyard he surprisingly said yes. That makes him nuts in my eyes. Why choose a Nuclear power plant when you can just have some harmless wind turbines in your garden or on your roof.
Other findings of the survey:
- 83% favor nuclear energy;
- 85% give the nearest nuclear power plant a “high” safety rating;
- 88% are confident that the company operating the plant can do so safely.
But Oswego isn't the only one. Click here for a list of cities and states that have passed resolutions in support of new nuclear build in their own backyards.
One last note: Saying that the world has to decide between nuclear energy or renewables is a false choice. The fact of the matter remains that future energy demand will rise so much, that there will be more than enough room for nuclear energy and renewables in the marketplace. It's just that over the next few decades, we're going to need baseload power generation, and right now, the only technology that can provide that baseload power is nuclear energy.
UPDATE: Opinion is shifting overseas as well. From Time's European edition:
Opinion surveys commissioned by Areva for internal use show that nuclear's reputation has been improving. As recently as 2002, more people stressed the drawbacks of nuclear power rather than its advantages, according to the surveys. But that trend has reversed, and a clear majority now cites the pros rather than the cons. Critically, the surveys show that most respondents say concern about greenhouse gases and climate change are the key reasons for their views.Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Energy, Electricity, Environment
Comments
Thanks for talking up the Carnival of the Green.
The Nuclear power issue is a biggie for sure.
I do not think that Nuclear is an option for various reasons. I wrote a post called 'When the Wind Blows' about why I think Nuclear energy is not a climate change solution back in May 2005 and would love to hear your response.
Please prove me wrong. Please prove to me that Nuclear is the best way forward in terms of energy supply.
Namaste
CH
Which town was it?
I want wind turbines in my back yard. Small personal ones via a company called Windsave - www.windsave.com.
3-4 metres per second is all that is required to start generating power with a max of 15 metres per second and that range falls comfortably into most of the UK's wind speed averages across the country as far as my research shows.
For less than £5000 I can get three of these babies installed that pumps power directly into my grid and should give me all the energy I need. And no more bills!!! Which means that it easily pays for itself after a few years.
Plus when I get extra energy out of them the national grid buys the surplus off me at the billable
rate. So instead of a bill I get a cheque!
I am also reducing the amount of energy I need without sacrificing my lifestyle.
Just being efficient and not wasteful really.
Namaste
CH
Most utilities send a "net" bill, which means if you buy more from them during the billing period than you sell to them, you pay, or they send a cheque if you sell them more than you pay. In Australia, solar panels are promoted with the same promises of energy buy back, however the rate is the spot rate at the time of production. Unfortunately, most solar panels don't provide surplus electricity at the peak times (6 a.m. - 9 a.m. & 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.). The average cost to replace a standard roof with a solar panel roof is AUD30,000.
You are fortunate that you have land available to create your own mini-grid. Those of us who live in apartments do not have that luxury and seek emission free base-load electricity generation to improve the quality of air in our cities. Here in NY, a lot of microgeneration is done with gas or oil fired generators, and even one or two coal burners within the borough of Queens. None of these help the quality of air in New York. If Indian Point Energy Center were to close it's two reactors, and the capacity were replaced by fossil fueled capacity or bio-mass, the air quality in this city would deteriorate even further. Lung disease is a health issue in this city, granted most of it is caused by smoking tobacco, but air pollution does not help.
Energy minister Malcolm Wicks described the research as "a nail in the coffin" of the "myths" perpetuated by opponents of wind power, and said that wind power in the UK is a "vast and dependable" resource.
An office in Manchester England is using wind turbines and solar to reduce their grid needs by 5%.
Would we need to build more power stations after that? Maybe...Nuclear or Coal? Well not sure. Am actually a rationalist on this to be honest...
But until we have exhausted renewable alternatives and lifestyle issues simply suggesting Nuclear as the answer implies a panic or bias.
Namaste
CH