Nuclear Power Plants for US Energy
redkeeth
Posts: 123
Can most countries use Nuclear power to drop the significant dependency on middle eastern oil?
I understand there are trade offs but seems to me in this economic downturn and the need for alternative fuels and the advances in technology we should be building these power plants. South east Asia is building them like mad, France gets much of their power from Nuclear power plants.
Sometimes I wonder why the US doesn't just say forget foreign oil & the demands of barrels we are gonna power our own country? Solar and hyrdro and geo thermal don't power countries we know Nuclear can.
I understand there are trade offs but seems to me in this economic downturn and the need for alternative fuels and the advances in technology we should be building these power plants. South east Asia is building them like mad, France gets much of their power from Nuclear power plants.
Sometimes I wonder why the US doesn't just say forget foreign oil & the demands of barrels we are gonna power our own country? Solar and hyrdro and geo thermal don't power countries we know Nuclear can.
* Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Irvine - Jun 02, 2003
* Bill Graham Civic Auditorium - Jul 18, 2006
* Key Arena - Sep 21, 2009
* Bill Graham Civic Auditorium - Jul 18, 2006
* Key Arena - Sep 21, 2009
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america can easily be powered on renewables ... but that doesn't make the oil and coal industries happy ...
i would agree that nuclear is probably the way forward as long as its combined with the power of renewable energy because it is more reliable than any of the other sources at the moment. the problem with oil is that we still need it for things like cars and trains etc, until they can develop a car that can run on hydrogen it will probably stay that way for the foreseeable future
Not to derail the threat too much but the whole idea that the US is dependant on middle east oil is a pretty big exageration. Over half of the oil the US uses is either produced in the US or imported from Canada. The next biggest country is Mexico. Canada exports more oil to the US than all of the Middle East combined. Plus while the US may be somewhat dependant on oil from those countries, it is important to note that those countries are way more dependant on the cash that comes from the US buying their oil.
http://www.cracked.com/article_19461_6-b.s.-myths-you-probably-believe-about-americas-enemies.html
We launch it into space towards the sun
OK, I've got my tomato proof vest on. Let 'em fly.
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
I like all these comments. With population growth we can cut our energy use greatly per capita, cars getting 100 miles per gallon even, however we will use more energy more than ever with urban sprawl and the population increasing. Developing countries will demand more energy than ever before as well.
I hope there is a way to use sustainable energy. I don't want to get into conspiracies, but it seems if there is a better way it will happen, but oil seems to be the most simple inexpensive and "natural" way.
If we charge electric cars using Nuclear energy it will reduce air polluton, but increase Nuclear waste.
Do we concentrate toxic waste? or polute the air across the world?
At least CO2 can be cleaned by our vegetation.... I don't see Nuclear as a sustainable energy but maybee it can buy us time to develop other methods.
It is sad even the most Green outspoken celebrities and politicians don't practice what they preach. Living in 10,000 square foot homes driving Ferraris but promoting the Prius.
* Bill Graham Civic Auditorium - Jul 18, 2006
* Key Arena - Sep 21, 2009
If that were true I'd back nuclear power 100%! Lime Jell-O is the King of Jell-O's.
No spent fuel is being stored in Yucca Mountain, the Obama administration froze that project, even though the taxpayers have funded it with hundreds of millions of dollars. It is expected to cost the taxpayers up to ~$11B over the next eight years or so due to contractual issues.
BTW Congress had already approved all of this, Dictator Obama though had other ideas.
Where is the spent fuel now going, then? I'd imagine it hasn't just disappeared and has to be put somewhere.
On site, eh? Any idea how long before onsite no longer has room for something like this? Once onsite is full, do you suppose more land will need to be aqcuired and incorporated as on site in order to continue to be able to store on site?
They could just put it back in the ground where it came from? Where do you think they get the radioactive fuel for nuclear plants?
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Are you being facetious here or are you serious? I thought it was a known fact that nuclear waste takes forever and then some to break down. High-level wastes such as spent nuclear fuel must be stored for thousands of years and once used is not in the exact same form it was when obtained.
If you are being serious, I think it is fallacious to believe that just burying everything will solve the problem. This ignores the fact that containers do leak and ignores the fact that there are limited areas storage could occur due to people not wanting this type of thing to happen in their neck of the woods. We go ahead and make nuclear the main source of power and I'm pretty sure we will have even more complicated issues arising than we currently have one of which is obligating future generations to clean up our shit. I don't believe in that kind of thing.