09-12-2012
In the last post we
saw why to be pro nuclear power. For those who didn’t follow the
blog we saw that nuclear can provide a constant and scalable source
of electricity, without consuming as much footprint in terms of land
occupied as wind and solar power, and could help as a disarmament
tool.
But are we sure? Is
it true? Let see what doctor Mark Z. Jacobson, professor
of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University and
director of the Atmosphere and Energy Program, stated in his talk at
TED.
For what concern
nuclear weapons, Dr. Jacobson affirms that there is some sort of link
between nuclear power development and disarmament of nuclear weapons.
But that is true just for America and for Russia. But is also true
that India, Pakistan, North Korea and Iran are secretly developing
nuclear weapons by enriching uranium in nuclear energy facilities.
And what about
footprints? Many people mix up the footprint with spacing. The
spacing between wind turbines can be used for multiple purposes such
as agriculture or rangeland. Not to consider that many of that are in
the middle of the ocean that is not even land. Dr Jacobson show how
to power the entire US vehicle fleet, 3 square kilometers are enough.
And nuclear? What is occupied by a nuclear plant cannot be used else
way, not to consider that you have to have a 17 square miles buffer
zone and the uranium mine to care about.
The most relevant
critic is that renewables cannot provide a stable and constant supply
of electricity. That is true. But fortunately science have improved
more than one form of renewable energy. And the answer to a constant
supply rely here, mixing together those form of energy. You can
combine solar, wind and hydro to keep a constant supply so that any
time, in any weather condition there is at least one source of energy
working.
I will conclude this
post quoting Dr. Jacobson: “we can guarantee a clean, blue sky
[with renewable] or an uncertain future with nuclear power”.
