Your stance on nuclear power

[Felch]

That's practically the definition of optimist, isn't it?

[BeBMan]

Maybe, but how exactly can "hope for the best" be the basis of serious calculations. With the numbers in that article ranging between ca 70 to 47,000 yrs or even "inexhaustible" I get the impression that noone really knows

[Felch]

The problem is that the 70 year estimates are based on current prices. We know there's a lot of uranium out there, but we don't know how easy it would be to recover it, nor do we know if some new mining technology will allow us to recover it at a lower cost in the future.

Predicting the future is hard.

[Asher]

Germanos, the OECD pessimists recognize that technological advances could stretch our supplies for centuries, and the EU and Australians are assuming that we aren't going to discover any new sources of uranium ore.

When was the last new discovery?

[germanos]

Germanos, the OECD pessimists recognize that technological advances could stretch our supplies for centuries, and the EU and Australians are assuming that we aren't going to discover any new sources of uranium ore.

Keep in mind that the estimates are based on current consumption as well.
I'm not saying I hold the truth, but these figures are at least as plausible as the optimistic side.

As far as breeders go: it's largely uncharted uncharted territory (certainly for me ) and I doubt that any of the posters here know anything about it. But I do know that in the 80's a German/Dutch/Belgian breeder was cancelled during construction (it's now BeBro's favorite hangout: Kernwasser Wunderland (sorry, linky in Dutch or German). After OneFootintheMouth's post I did look briefly at breeders to find out few were build and even less are producing electricity for the net. I see yet no reason to be an advocate against nuclear power based on 1) the risks (including waste) and 2) the probably non-solution it provides for our energy needs in the long term.


Kernwasser Wunderland: Huge merry go round (or whatshallyacallit)in the former Cooling Tower.

[Felch]

When was the last new discovery?

Quick Google search gave me this. The article dates back about a week.

http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/137624-Uranium-exploration-India-discovery.aspx

People discover new mineral sources all the time. Obviously it's price sensitive. If prices go down, there's less incentive to look for new sources.

[Aeson]

One aspect of solar (at least panels or films, not so much dishes) that makes the land use comparison less important is that solar installations can be done just about anywhere with minimal impact. People may not really like the look (I think they look pretty spiffy) on roof tops, but it is actually an option. I doubt anyone is going to want to install a coal powered plant on their roof.

[Docfeelgood]

I saw a documentary on nuke plant waste and that seems to be the problem with nuke power plants. The waste will be toxic for over 100,000 years. We bury it and future generations find it. They think they have found treasure but find toxic death instead. We have to make sure that they never find it.

[Felch]

Why not just plow it into the fields of our vanquished foes?

[Docfeelgood]

Can't because plutonium-239 has a half-life of 25,000 years and Uranium-235 has a half-life of 700 million years.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Just bury it in a really deep mineshaft with a sign on the entrance reading "Heap big curse of AshtonKutcher on all who enter".

Either it keeps 'em safe, or it starts a kick-arse new religion..

[Traianvs]

Just bury it in a really deep mineshaft with a sign on the entrance reading "Heap big curse of AshtonKutcher on all who enter".

Either it keeps 'em safe, or it starts a kick-arse new religion..

Turns out it's not that simple to simply store the waste because you need to be absolutely sure no geological activity will occur. For instance, I know of old mineshaft in Belgium that were submerged a while ago that caused problems later on (flooding, leakages etc).

[The Mad Monk]

Two words.
Nuclear Waste.

Four words.

RESCIND THE CARTER BAN.

[Felch]

Reagan lifted the ban in 1981.

[Docfeelgood]

Reagan lifted the ban in 1981.

So this is where those dumbasses came up with depleted uranium rounds.