No Nukes.?..or More Nukes?

Question

With current energy consumption in the country growing, who wants to see no more nuclear facilities, and why? What alternatives do you propose?

Flip side: Who wants more nuclear facilities and why?

Answer 1

Nuclear power is not the only option and as far as I and my friends have been able to tell, I am not insane, maybe silly but not insane.

True, nuclear power plants do not pollute the air, but think about how the uranium fuel (which is not a unlimited renewable commodity) for those plants is mined -- with diesel powered trucks, shovels, etc.  The mines are also full of radiation, workers have been hurt.  Plus to get the permits, build the plant, test it, etc will take at least 10 years before we see a new plant.

I would much rather see the money put into 2 renewable energy sources that are much closer to economic viability.

1) bio diesel and ethanol from algae.  It's ponds and closed production systems can be set up in non-food producing areas like deserts, roof tops of coal fired power plants, waste-water treatment plants.  Not only can the algae be carbon neutral, but they can be carbon negative as they can eat CO2 emitted from coal fired power plants.  They can also use the waste water that is now not totally treated and put into our rivers.

2)  Ocean wave and river/ocean current turbines can produce electricity with no pollution.  (Two turbines are not producing power in the East River of New York City).  A Canadian company is starting to place turbines in the ocean off the coast of Washington State.  I saw a map that showed an area of turbines, only a few square miles in area, can power all the homes of Great Britain. Tidal turbines are currently being uses in Europe.  In 10 years time, they can produce a lot of power for America.  And with trains full of supercapacitors (see the web site of Maxwell Technologies), that power can be transfered inland easily.

Answer 2

I like light.  I like hot food.  I like heat.

Nuclear power is the ONLY option we have right now, that does not put more trash in the air.

Why anyone would object is insane.   Remember 3 mile island was almost 40 years ago.  No cell phones.  No lap tops,  No desk tops,  a lot has changed in those 40 or so years.   It can be made as safe as anything today.

Answer 3

I think Nuc facilities can help with the power demand. They are not the best in that you have to store the spent rods somewhere. However, the power produced is clean. Only steam is vented to the atmosphere.  They are expensive to build and operate but with the ever growing power demand that cost can be offset. With new technololgy they are safer than ever from accidents like 3mile or Chernobyl.  

I would like to see more reneweable sources like wind and biomass plants, but it takes time and land for wind farms and growing enough switch grass for biofuel.  Clean coal tech will also work but it probably is the most expensive plant to build. The future Gen project in Illinois has been halted due to funding. Believe it or not Illinois has more coal deposits for energey use than can be produced from all the oil in Saudi Arabia.