Nuclear Energy: Not a Climate Change Solution  

WorldChanging has a post on FEASTA's paper on the debatable EROEI of nuclear power.

We've covered the argument that nuclear is not a climate-friendly energy source before, but here's new evidence -- a paper from the Irish sustainability thinktank Feasta, titled Why Nuclear Power Cannot Be a Major Energy Source:

The advantage of nuclear power in producing lower carbon emissions holds true only as long as supplies of rich uranium last. When the leaner ores are used - that is, ores consisting of less than 0.01 percent (for soft rocks such as sandstone) and 0.02 percent (for hard rocks such as granite), so much energy is required by the milling process that the total quantity of fossil fuels needed for nuclear fission is greater than would be needed if those fuels were used directly to generate electricity. In other words, when it is forced to use ore of around this quality or worse, nuclear power begins to slip into a negative energy balance: more energy goes in than comes out, and more carbon dioxide is produced by nuclear power than by the fossil-fuel alternatives.

Add to these concerns the carbon costs of building, maintaining and securing reactors, and shipping, processing and storing (for thousands of years) the waste created, and the carbon benefits of nuclear energy completely disappear, and, indeed nukes start to look not only dangerous but downright polluting.

TreeHugger has a post on the Worldwatch Institute's enthusiasm for biofuels.

Worldwatch Institute and it's partner organizations have just published the epic: “Biofuels for Transportation: Global Potential and Implications for Sustainable Agriculture and Energy in the 21st Century” TreeHugger is pleased to promote this seminal work for several reasons. The study is circumspect and forward-looking. It sets a baseline for understanding choices for public policy development and private investment. And, joint sponsorship by a consortium makes it harder to spin. Finally, it gives those of you who love to comment on this stuff (you know who you are) a chance to be as happy as kids at a party for awhile. So without further ado, click down and have a look at some cool graphs and then download the extended report summary from Worldwatch. You’ll be glad you did.

Also, at TreeHugger, more on "An Inconvenient Truth".

Yesterday afternoon, Al Gore and MoveOn.org's Executive Director, Eli Pariser, sat down for a conference call to chat about An Inconvenient Truth, climate change and how to enable a cooling globe, and TreeHugger was on the call. It was great to have the opportunity to engage the man behind the slideshow, and get in to some of the details surrounding his slideshow, the film, and what to do about it all. Among the more poignant things he said was that the necessary force to change the way the world works must come from the grassroots level, and that climate change has moved beyond just being a political issue; it is instead a moral issue that we must all be responsible for handling. He is proudly "climate-neutral" (meaning that he's bought enough "green tags" or renewable energy certificates to offset whatever carbon emissions he's responsible for) and encourages everyone, from individuals to businesses to governments, to do the same. He has advice for those of us who can't offset everything, or are too young to vote:

"Arm yourself with the knowledge. Go to the movie. Read the book. Go to the website. Find out how to be a part of the solution. Bear in mind that often in America, young people have led the way to social change...". He'll also be working in Tennessee this summer to train over 1000 people to do his slideshow (with their own personal touches), so that they can follow in his footsteps and take it on the road. Until then, be sure to get yourself to his movie.

If you're interested in algae to biodiesel techniques, Oilgae is a great resource.

Crikey has a post called "Solar on the roof, no nukes next door" - about the experiences of a couple who have built a sustainable house.

On 4 April 1996 Stuart McQuire and Wendy Orams switched their house to solar power. It was the first house in Victoria and second in Australia to have grid-connected solar power. Ten years on Stuart tells us how the solar has performed.

With increasing concern about fossil fuels leading to global warming, and with some corporate and government interests pursuing a nuclear future, we're keen to share our experience of solar electricity.

It works! Each year now for ten years in a row our house has had a surplus of solar power by generating more electricity than the household has used. We receive a credit for putting electricity back into the grid and it's put an end to us paying for electricity.

While it may be difficult to find people who want to live next door to nuclear power stations, there is no shortage of suburban rooftops suitable for solar power stations. Grid connected solar electricity systems are priced from around $5,000, while one that generates a similar amount as our average electricity consumption would cost less than $12,000 (after government rebate). This is a capital cost of about $2.30 per day, or less than the price of a cup of coffee at a cafe. For that you can have a solar power station on your roof, generating the premium green power and cutting your electricity bill.

The benefits go beyond free electricity. Solar power is the premium green power because it is renewable, abundant and non-polluting. Unlike electricity from coal, there's no smoke and no greenhouse gases. Unlike electricity from nuclear power, there's is no radioactive legacy for future generations.

Solar electricity panels pay off their energy debt (ie the amount of energy needed to make them) in 18 months to two years. A further benefit of solar electricity systems is that they generate electricity right at the time when there is peak demand – on hot days in summer. Little or no maintenance is required and the solar panels are designed to last at least two decades.

Ideally a premium rate would be paid for the buy-back of solar electricity put back into the grid. The most successful schemes overseas have used such incentives to encourage the installation of solar electricity. Japan and Germany have led the way, and in 2005 Germany installed over half of all the solar photovoltaic panels installed worldwide. The equivalent of over 400,000 systems the size of our two-kilowatt system were installed in Germany last year.

Also at Crikey - some advice for Lord Downer of Baghdad in "The last of the Neo-Cons".

Neoconservativism may never be dead while Alexander Downer lives, but will he be the last of this dying breed?

Today's Australian reports that Downer "has outlined an agenda that mirrors the US neoconservative approach that argued for the invasion of Iraq on the grounds of the national self-interest in building stability and democracy in the surrounding region".

The article goes on to report that foreign policy realist Owen Harries (a "Yes, Minister" fan surely) thinks the Downer approach shows "boldness and courage". That's one way of describing it, given events in Iraq and the rush of neoconservatives, and their conservative and liberal hawk allies, to leave that particular burning building.

The New York Times' Frances Fukuyama famously got out in February, a move that had Jacob Weisberg in Slate contemplating "the neoconservative tragedy". Buckley, Hari, Packer, Sullivan and Will are just some of the better known names to have declared Iraq a failed experiment.

On the same day that Downer is rushing back into the flames, another vigorous supporter of the neocon's Iraq misadventure, John Derbyshire in National Review Online, begs to be allowed " ... to eat crow"; former former speechwriter to Ronald Reagan, SJ Masty, writes in The Times that the West is losing the war on terror because of policies such as those that Downer advocates; and Jonathan Rauch in Reason urges a return to foreign policy "realism" of the type advocated, pre-invasion, by Harries.

Perhaps Downer knows something no-one else does? If so, it's a secret he should share. Either that, or he is painfully slow to learn.

While nuclear power is largely a collosal waste of money except for densely populated countries with few renewable alternatives, there is enough of a lemming like rush for the radioactive cliffs to make uranium mining a lucrative prospect for the time being. The Real Deal takes a look at Russia's latest option for bending the West over the energy supply barrel - uranium. If only those foolish "conservatives" would adopt the less risky renewable alternative...

Interesting article about how the Russians are thinking of withholding uranium from the weapons dismantling program and using the fuel for their market. In reality it probably has more to do with the fact the uranium price is up over 400% since they signed the deal. The thing that could spike uranium is the fact that US utilities get 50% of their uranium fuel from this Russian program.

Will we see a dramatic spike in uranium prices this summer? Some industry insiders have forecast spikes that could send uranium soaring to between $55 and $100/pound. Most were not expecting this to occur during 2006. However, there are several reasons we believe something could crack wide open in the uranium market over the next 100 days.

Lets take the Russian situation. U.S. utilities have been somewhat lackadaisical about uranium pricing because theyve been getting Russian uranium on the cheap. Russias Rosatom head Sergei Kiriyenko has reportedly told U.S. utilities there will be no HEU-2 deal. Whether this is a ploy to extract a better deal for Russia, or Russias announcement it will feed other nuclear-ambitious countries with its uranium is not known.

U.S. utilities are now lobbying the U.S. Commerce Department to end the restrictions on importing enriched Russian uranium. They like the pricing, and are now arguing that higher uranium prices are jeopardizing the nuclear renaissance in the United States.

Analysis: Based on what happened with Yuganskneftegaz I would assume, if I were a US utility executive, that Putin will stick in and break it off.

U.S. utilities are now being fed about 50 percent of their nuclear fuel from decommissioned Russian warheads. Russia is more than a tad upset because the deal they made does not reflect the current spot or long-term price of uranium. Something will likely occur at the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia on July 14-17. Russia will chair this summit for the first time.

Russias desire for a uranium/nuclear monopoly, hurricanes, tight supplies through the summer and the likelihood of yet another energy crisis before Labor Day could spell a significant boost in spot uranium pricing. It would not surprise us should spot uranium trade closer to $60/pound over the next 100 days. Any shock event could spike the spot uranium price above that level, and possibly make a run for $100/pound uranium.

Analysis: Uranium is already in a supply deficit. Now the Russians are going to throw some gas on the fire. Buy uranium stocks with NI 43-101 compliant reserves. You will make money, lots of it.

And finally, go check out Billmon on Base Motives (we all know the US doesn't want to establish permanent military bases in Iraq to control all that oil - we've been told repeatedly after all) and one for the gamers - Mortal Combat II: The Sermon on the Mount.

Q: Why does this game have to contain violence at all? Why is it necessary for a fun and successful game?

A: Violence is not required to make a fun game. However, it is required to make a game about the end of the world in the Left Behind book series.

Left Behind Games
Mainstream Media FAQ

You know, I really couldn't have put it better myself.

So what's next?

Mortal Combat II: The Sermon on the Mount

The meek shall inherit the earth -- but only if Jesus and his disciples can annihilate the Roman legions and kill the evil Pharisees before Judas unleashes his Uzi-toting demons from the pits of hell! This action-packed thriller puts you in the divine driver's seat as you lead your elite squad of battle-hardened apostles in an all-out assault on Fortress Jerusalem -- lair of the mighty Pilatebot. The optional loaves and fishes plug-in gives you unlimited firepower from a single ammo clip and the ability to turn water into a tasteless, odorless nerve toxin! Hours of fun for the whole family!