Monthly Archives: April 2011

Nuclear reality Check, Chapter 3 – Nuclear renaissance or primary school arts project?

Posted on April 23, 2011 by daryan12

In my prior articles I’ve pointed out, that the nuclear energy industry faces major challenges in the future, something that I’ve been saying long before Fukushima. Chief among these problems, is that the costs of new nuclear build (see my … Continue reading →

Posted in budget deficit, clean energy, climate change, economics, energy, France, nuclear, peak oil, politics, power, renewables, sustainability, sustainable | 13 Comments

Nuclear Reality Check, Chapter 2 – Are the French running a Ponzi scheme?

Posted on April 17, 2011 by daryan12

In some of my recent posts (here and here) I’ve tried to impress upon any nuclear industry cheerleaders, that Post-Fukushima (now a class 7 accident), who happen upon my ramblings, that they need to take a healthy dose of reality. … Continue reading →

Posted in budget deficit, climate change, economics, energy, France, nuclear, peak oil, politics, power | 19 Comments

Welcome

Posted on April 6, 2011 by daryan12

Some Recent Posts: Is Shale Gas a Fracking Ponzi Scheme?         *New! Japan, a post-Fukushima vision         *New! The Great British Nuclear Power Play The Rio Earth Summit fails….again! The Heartless Heartland Institute and the Right Wing’s Nazi Tourettes …..and solar is forever damned? … Continue reading →

Posted in clean energy, climate change, economics, energy, France, nuclear, peak oil, politics, power, renewables, sustainability, sustainable | 1 Comment

Bonus feature! Myth XI – We need to use MOX and reprocessing to stop Terrorists getting their hands on Plutonium in the future

Posted on April 2, 2011 by daryan12

Lest anyone argue I’m giving the nuclear industry an unnecessarily hard time, we have the latest delusion from Sir David King, suggesting that far from learning the lessons from Thorp (and the ongoing disaster at Fukushima) we should dig ourselves … Continue reading →

Posted in nuclear, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Myth X – Disposal of nuclear waste is easily solved, indeed we’ve already sorted it out

Posted on April 2, 2011 by daryan12

While the critics of nuclear energy do tend to make hay out of the waste issue, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a problem. A problem that is becoming ever more serious the longer it takes for us to do something … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Comments

Myth IX – All these problems will be solved when we develop Fusion, which will happen in the near future

Posted on April 2, 2011 by daryan12

Mention these problems about nuclear energy to any nuclear cheerleader and they inevitably bring up the issue of nuclear fusion, usually with some absurd statement such as it being “30 years away”…which they’ve been saying for the last 60 years! … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Myth VIII – Yes, you’ve highlighted several problems but you see once we get these new fast reactors working all these problems will be solved

Posted on April 2, 2011 by daryan12

If there’s one thing that constantly worries me (if not scares me) about the nuclear industry and its cheerleaders, its they’re undying enthusiasm for (so-called) fast “breeder” reactors (or their stable mate the fast neutron reactor). Anyone with half a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Myth VII – We can’t build Renewables fast enough only nuclear power plants can be built quickly enough to prevent climate change

Posted on April 2, 2011 by daryan12

This is another statement that is simply divorced from any semblance of reality. Currently new reactor construction globally is outpaced by the rate at which old reactors are turned off (average reactor age worldwide is 25 years with many in … Continue reading →

Posted in clean energy, economics, energy, nuclear, peak oil, politics, power, renewables, sustainability, Uncategorized | 23 Comments

Myth VI – there’s plenty of fissile material in the world

Posted on April 2, 2011 by daryan12

Unfortunately, the truth is that the world has relatively limited stockpiles of Uranium ore. Figures from the WNA (World Nuclear Energy Agency) suggest 80 years of reserves (5.4 Mt) with current consumption rates (68,000 Tons/yr) and extraction techniques if a … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, energy, future, nuclear, peak oil, power, Uncategorized | 16 Comments

Myth V – But we can’t rely on renewables, because of their intermittence nature

Posted on April 2, 2011 by daryan12

While certainly it is true that some renewables sources have problems with intermittency, notably wind or PV this isn’t a problem with all renewable sources. Certain renewable sources, such as hydro, tidal, Solar CSP or geothermal boast much higher capacity … Continue reading →

Posted in nuclear | 29 Comments