Andy wrote:Another question, is nuclear the only technology that can provide energy at the requisite scale and cost? If you answer yes, you have not done your homework. Wind already provides electricity for costs ranging from 3- 9 US c/KWH including offshore technology. The high value of 8 - 9 c/KWH is the low value for nuclear. Concentrating solar thermal costs between 8 and 13 cents with costs likely to fall, the opposite of which is likely true for nuclear when the intractable civil defence and waste/fuel issues are contemplated. Any attempt to minimize those costs simply tranfers it from internalized to external (health, military). Energy efficiency costs as low as 1 c/KWH and the potential is as much as 30 - 50% of existing energy consumption. Concentrating photovoltaic technology is threatening to cost near 10 c/KWH at the retail site in high solar areas, already distributed. (Read about 39% efficient Spectrolab cells on their way to 41% and more)
I have not even mentioned wave, tidal, ocean thermal which have not been given an equitable share of research resources and thus are not yet market ready.
Oh shut up, those aren't "science"!
