14th Carnival of Nuclear Energy: Random Topics and Big Equations

This week we get to host the nuclear carnival for the second time since it began. To start off, Charles Barton at Nuclear Green recruited NNadir (former DKos diarist) to share a post. NNadir back in the day wrote some of the most random but fun pieces about nuclear including bits on cesium, technetium and even lutefisk. In his first piece at Nuclear Green, NNadir discussed a number of topics including “one of [his] favorite things to do”: discredit Amory Lovins (he’s definitely not alone in that passion). Hope to see more from him.

Speaking of Lovins, Brian Wang at Next Big Future rehashed and debunked some of Lovins’ old predictions from the 1970s. As well, Wang reported that his bet with another blogger on increased uranium production in Kazakhstan for 2010 and 2011 is “looking very good.”

After debunking it two weeks ago, Rod Adams at Atomic Insights continued to “tamp down the spread of NC Warn sponsored misinformation regarding the comparison of solar and nuclear costs”. Also, check out his recap of the first day at the American Nuclear Society Utility Working Conference, looked like a good time.

Dan Yurman at Idaho Samizdat has the news about US agreements with Vietnam to share enrichment technology. Some members of Congress aren’t quite happy about the agreement and it has China keeping a close eye. As well, be sure to check out some of Dan’s nuclear videos posted Monday, the third one about Diet Coke and Mentos is quite entertaining.

Kirk Sorensen at Energy From Thorium wrote a dense three part piece titled: Enrichment, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the SWU. It’s always good to work out your brain with some calculations every once in awhile.

Barry Brook at Brave New Climate shared a pamphlet that his sister created for him highlighting the good features of nuclear.

Stephen Aplin at Canadian Energy Issues discussed an option with dealing with CO2 once it’s been captured from fossil plants. He doesn’t think sequestration will work but instead we should use the captured CO2 to create a liquid hydrocarbon for fuel similar to gasoline and diesel.

With all of the number of reactor designs out there, is there one that’s the best? Gail Marcus at Nuke Power Talk has been on the search and found a good article that compared the positives and negatives of the different designs.

Meredith Angwin at Yes Vermont Yankee got into the philosophical debate on energy use: how much is too much? what’s wasteful vs. what’s efficiency? and more.

And from NEI, we have two things we’d like to highlight: if you haven’t read our post from earlier this week debunking an anti group’s egregious claims, check it out; and, let us know what you think about our new Myths and Facts doc debunking 35 commonly heard nuclear myths.

Make sure to stop by everyone’s place.

Promo pic for the Myths and Facts document.