Nuclear vs. Solar

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Permalink Reply by Harley Orion on August 29, 2008 at 10:55pm

I agree. With all the costs and drawbacks to nuclear power, when solar is so clean and has no emissions at all once it's up and running, why would we go nuclear?
-Harley

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Permalink Reply by mike fallwell on October 6, 2008 at 6:29pm

I agree about existing nukes.
But Solar is just not going to cut it.
I believe wind might someday.

www.withouthotair.com

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Permalink Reply by Scott Brusaw on October 7, 2008 at 1:48am

Nuclear proponents argue that nuclear power leaves no carbon footprint. True, as long as you don't consider the petroleum used to deliver the uranium needed to power the plants. Inconsequential, I know - just wanted to acknowledge the know arguments.

Even if we shut down all fossil fuel electricity generation plants and went all-nuclear, there would only be enough uranium to keep us going for about 20 years. Then, it too would be depleated. So nuclear power is only a short-term, temporary solution at best. It would also leave behind literally mountains of nuclear waste that would never go away.

The answer is, and has always been, solar. Thomas Edison realized that in 1931.

So the real argument here is not nuclear vs. solar, but how to make solar work. How do we replace coal and nuclear plants with a reliable solar framework?

Please visit www.solarroadways.com

Then, get back to me: scott@solarroadways.com

I'll be glad to answer any questions - any at all.

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Permalink Reply by James Thomas on November 13, 2008 at 11:37am

We have right now the means of utilizing solar to solve the problem without the extremely high cost of nuclear.

A solar thermal electric plant (boiling water via the Sun to make steam to power turbines) can be built in 24 to 36 months (faster if we really put our minds to it). 96 square miles in the California deserts could power the entire U.S.. And in case you are concerned with cloudy days...such a plant would still work though not as efficiently. Also there are many means to store extra heat that can be used in total darkness. One way is having huge flywheels mounted to turbines which power up with the Sun. Once at top speed the energy stored in the flywheel can power a turbine for days. It's pretty much all low-tech. Add new tech.: computing, nano, and new building materials and who knows what we can do (one example is a new mirror system I mention below).

I suggest reading: The Technology That will Save Humanity: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/04/14/solar_electric_thermal/ Also check out this company that has developed a new mirror system: http://iaus.com/

With a little research we could fill a page with hyperlinks to new information regarding solar thermal power generation.

I would like to add that I feel that large power plants are on their way out, and we will start generating power on-site without the waste of miles and miles of transmittion wire. With a marriage of solar, wind, and some form of battery/power storage, it will be done. The breakthroughs in these fields is moving ahead at light speed. The future, is now.

james

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