In general, it's a good idea to try a diversified strategy in terms of R&D investments, so saying that we have to move to a mix of approaches is important politically to justify the diverse research we should continue. (Personally, I suspect tidal energy is an untapped resource, but I've visited the Bay of Fundy, and that sort of thing takes your breath away. I'm not willing to put my or my children's eggs in that particular basket any more than others, though.)
There are both the short-term safety issues with nuclear power and the long-term ones. I think it's politically feasible to argue that the fairly definite harms of coal plants (both in harvesting coal and burning it) outweighs the risks of nuclear accidents, both in terms of any utilitarian calculus and also the effects on entire populations.
The longer-term safety issue is what to do with the spent fuel, and while I've heard stories about recent R&D into reactors that can use the spent fuel, I'm not nearly well-versed enough in the details to know, but it strikes me that the spent fuel is the harder issue to address, at least right now.
Then there's the economics of this: nuclear plants are pretty darned expensive. Is there a nuclear industry anywhere in the world that doesn't receive substantial subsidies, either directly or indirectly (as in relief from liability)?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-07-20 07:17 pm (UTC)There are both the short-term safety issues with nuclear power and the long-term ones. I think it's politically feasible to argue that the fairly definite harms of coal plants (both in harvesting coal and burning it) outweighs the risks of nuclear accidents, both in terms of any utilitarian calculus and also the effects on entire populations.
The longer-term safety issue is what to do with the spent fuel, and while I've heard stories about recent R&D into reactors that can use the spent fuel, I'm not nearly well-versed enough in the details to know, but it strikes me that the spent fuel is the harder issue to address, at least right now.
Then there's the economics of this: nuclear plants are pretty darned expensive. Is there a nuclear industry anywhere in the world that doesn't receive substantial subsidies, either directly or indirectly (as in relief from liability)?