One nuclear power unit can pump out a thousand megawatts day and night, year after year, wind or no wind. It can do it almost anywhere. And it pumps out exactly zero greenhouse gases and toxic ashes.
That's a pretty big counterbalance to the expense and waste issues.
If systems like this are developed that make the fuel supply even more plentiful, that can only help.
Waste can be dealt with effectively, as I pointed out in this post.
The storage facility pictured in that post has the capacity to hold the waste from a 1000 MW plant from about 300 years of operation. Or 300 plants for one year. How much space do you think that room occupies?
It is essentially impossible to meet America's energy needs with only solar or wind. It is not impossible to shrink our economy and population to the point where we could, but I'd hate to live there.
Space/Science » in reply to expense
re: expense
The whole thread (23 posts)
- "Traveling wave" nuclear reactor
- I realize it's a mature technology, but what's frightening is "liquid sodium".
- U.S. News article on French nuclear power
- Cheap Nuclear Power! I have been hearing about new ideas for 40 years.
- re: "Traveling wave" nuclear reactor
- Sounds very promising