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Nuclear power is the fastest way to slash greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize

nytimes.com

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Re: Nuclear power is the fastest way to slash greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize

#11

Post by plasticchris »

Creationer wrote: post #7

The problem isn't cost of power generated, its the ability to respond to rapid volatility - when clouds obscure solar panels, and when the wind stops blowing. Nuclear cannot do this so it is useless. Batteries and gas power plants can which is why they are being rolled out. Wind, Solar, Gas, Batteries and Electric Vehicles are existing solutions to the climate problem. The market will implement them slowly, since the…

A certain baseline power requirement must be met.

It's also interesting to see the volatility of solar and wind be used as an argument against baseline generation, as this has traditionally been an argument against renewables.

Re: Nuclear power is the fastest way to slash greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize

#12

Post by pfdietz »

Creationer wrote: post #7

The problem isn't cost of power generated, its the ability to respond to rapid volatility - when clouds obscure solar panels, and when the wind stops blowing. Nuclear cannot do this so it is useless. Batteries and gas power plants can which is why they are being rolled out. Wind, Solar, Gas, Batteries and Electric Vehicles are existing solutions to the climate problem. The market will implement them slowly, since the…

No, it's the cost of power. And even if nuclear were technically able to respond instantly, it's economically pointless, since if you don't run a nuclear plant most of the time the cost of power goes all to hell.

Re: Nuclear power is the fastest way to slash greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize

#13

Post by [deleted] »

fakwandi_priv wrote: post #5

>Germany’s rate of adding clean energy relative to gross domestic product, it would take the world more than a century to decarbonize, even if the country wasn’t also retiring nuclear plants early. Why doesn't the article explain why the Germans are retiring their plants? I think these articles should go more in-depth regarding the pro's and con's. From what I read and hear Nuclear power is a great source of energy b…

[deleted]

Re: Nuclear power is the fastest way to slash greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize

#14

Post by loeg »

Creationer wrote: post #7

The problem isn't cost of power generated, its the ability to respond to rapid volatility - when clouds obscure solar panels, and when the wind stops blowing. Nuclear cannot do this so it is useless. Batteries and gas power plants can which is why they are being rolled out. Wind, Solar, Gas, Batteries and Electric Vehicles are existing solutions to the climate problem. The market will implement them slowly, since the…

Batteries and things like batteries serve shifting demand relative to slower-moving supply for nuclear even better than they fit unpredictable/irregular supply renewables.

Unlike sunny or windy days, nuclear power is consistent 24/7 and output can be modulated (albeit, with delay) by raising and lowering control rods. Batteries (electrical or mechanical) can store extra nuclear-produced energy and use it to power the grid while output increases to match demand, and vice versa.

Re: Nuclear power is the fastest way to slash greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize

#15

Post by addicted »

Nuclear power can save the world....

If the US can build reactors at 1/10th the cost they do right now.

That’s the solution. Not the much cheaper clean energy sources that already exist and are being built out in record numbers...

Nuclear is great. It just loses out because it’s too expensive and worse, it gets more expensive with time.

If the reasoning behind that is based on irrational human fears then first propose a solution for irrational community fears. You’ll also be able to solve the SF housing and homelessness crisis at one go then.

Re: Nuclear power is the fastest way to slash greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize

#16

Post by stcredzero »

cm2187 wrote: post #10
fakwandi_priv wrote: post #5

>Germany’s rate of adding clean energy relative to gross domestic product, it would take the world more than a century to decarbonize, even if the country wasn’t also retiring nuclear plants early. Why doesn't the article explain why the Germans are retiring their plants? I think these articles should go more in-depth regarding the pro's and con's. From what I read and hear Nuclear power is a great source of energy b…

Pretty much because Merkel decided so in the days following Fukushima. Not exactly the result of long term strategy.

Pretty much just going by feels. Not exactly good governance.

Re: Nuclear power is the fastest way to slash greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize

#17

Post by pfdietz »

plasticchris wrote: post #11
Creationer wrote: post #7

The problem isn't cost of power generated, its the ability to respond to rapid volatility - when clouds obscure solar panels, and when the wind stops blowing. Nuclear cannot do this so it is useless. Batteries and gas power plants can which is why they are being rolled out. Wind, Solar, Gas, Batteries and Electric Vehicles are existing solutions to the climate problem. The market will implement them slowly, since the…

A certain baseline power requirement must be met. It's also interesting to see the volatility of solar and wind be used as an argument against baseline generation, as this has traditionally been an argument against renewables.

It's an argument against renewables only when the renewables are expensive. When renewables are cheap, then nuclear is placed in an impossible situation, as nuclear either displaces the renewables when they ARE available (incurring a large marginal cost), or only runs when they aren't (forcing nuclear's large fixed costs to be amortized over much less output).

It's likely that a cost optimized grid will have little or no nuclear in it.

Re: Nuclear power is the fastest way to slash greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize

#18

Post by pfdietz »

loeg wrote: post #14
Creationer wrote: post #7

The problem isn't cost of power generated, its the ability to respond to rapid volatility - when clouds obscure solar panels, and when the wind stops blowing. Nuclear cannot do this so it is useless. Batteries and gas power plants can which is why they are being rolled out. Wind, Solar, Gas, Batteries and Electric Vehicles are existing solutions to the climate problem. The market will implement them slowly, since the…

Batteries and things like batteries serve shifting demand relative to slower-moving supply for nuclear even better than they fit unpredictable/irregular supply renewables. Unlike sunny or windy days, nuclear power is consistent 24/7 and output can be modulated (albeit, with delay) by raising and lowering control rods. Batteries (electrical or mechanical) can store extra nuclear-produced energy and use it to power the…

No. If renewables are cheap, then batteries and other storage will just serve to reduce the fraction of time renewables are not covering demand (why charge the batteries with nuclear if cheaper renewable power is available?) The smaller this fraction is, the worse nuclear does economically.

Re: Nuclear power is the fastest way to slash greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize

#20

Post by rargulati »

addicted wrote: post #15

Nuclear power can save the world.... If the US can build reactors at 1/10th the cost they do right now. That’s the solution. Not the much cheaper clean energy sources that already exist and are being built out in record numbers... Nuclear is great. It just loses out because it’s too expensive and worse, it gets more expensive with time. If the reasoning behind that is based on irrational human fears then first propos…

Can you give more information on why this is? Any recommended reading to better understand where and why the costs increase?
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