NEI Nuclear Notes

We’re sure all of us would like to live in a world where nuclear energy and renewable energy sources – and some natural gas and maybe even some coal with carbon sequestration – powered our lives. But that’s not the world we live in – yet – and most of us have rather limited choices about living our lives in a carbon-free environment. This would be true even if you could hear windmills in the morning or see the nuclear plant’s cooling towers off in the misty distance. Electricity providers can help with carbon offsets, but for the most part, how electricity whips through the grid and gets to your house is difficult to quantify by source except in general terms. So this gave us pause: As the internet grows as a platform — a place where more things are done, not only stored away — the IT industry's hunger for energy will increase. Efficiency is a hot topic in IT, but improving energy efficiency is only part of the solution, the industry also needs to take responsibility for...

Over at Channel 9 , a discussion forum set up by Microsoft to facilitate authentic conversation with its customers , one member has started a discussion string about nuclear energy . Stop by and join in. It only makes sense to talk this issue out over at Channel 9. After all, Microsoft and all of its IT innovations are chief drivers in the continued rising demand for electricity. Interesting aside: Channel 9 was co-founded by ex-Microsoft employee Robert Scoble -- who, as it turns out, is a long-time proponent of nuclear energy .