General Discussion

Lee-Lee

(6,324 posts)

17. Until solar and wind can generate on-demand 24/7 we need something else

Sat Oct 25, 2014, 06:38 AM

Oct 2014

Solar is off half the day.

Wind all depends on the weather.

Neither can be turned up and down on demand.

So while they are good, and we should be using them as much as possible when they do generate, we need something else to make the baseload power.

Hydro does some, but we are past the era of ever building another dam and flooding people out of house and home.

That leaves coal, natural gas, or nuclear.

We all know the issues with coal.

Natural gas primary comes from fracking these day.

Of the 3 choices, nuclear seems to generate the least pollution, the least waste, and be the best long-term option of 3 less than perfect options.

The biggest hurdles are political, not scientific.

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Highlight:

Former EPA leader: ‘Irresponsible’ for US to halt nuclear power [View all] FBaggins Oct 2014 OP

Fukushima has not only killed starfish but irradiated dolphins in the Atlantic. zappaman Oct 2014 #1

I'm a particular fan of the "warming up the pacific" theory FBaggins Oct 2014 #2

I agree with the EPA. zappaman Oct 2014 #3

Since you asked about moi RobertEarl Oct 2014 #14

Annnnd RobertEarl Oct 2014 #15

I know that you and reality had a messy divorce due to irreconcilable differences... FBaggins Oct 2014 #24

Eh? RobertEarl Oct 2014 #26

There's no "attack" there FBaggins Oct 2014 #27

You remind me of faux news RobertEarl Oct 2014 #29

Which, no doubt, you don't see as a personal attack. FBaggins Oct 2014 #30

There you go again RobertEarl Oct 2014 #31

There *I* go again? FBaggins Oct 2014 #32

That's all you got? RobertEarl Oct 2014 #33

Making up stories? FBaggins Oct 2014 #34

Kris? RobertEarl Oct 2014 #36

I haven't seen him in months FBaggins Oct 2014 #37

Point is RobertEarl Oct 2014 #38

Of course... that too is incorrect. FBaggins Oct 2014 #39

That is just your opinion RobertEarl Oct 2014 #40

You have a long habit of mistaking facts for opinion... FBaggins Oct 2014 #42

Thanks for the link. zappaman Oct 2014 #41

And you still think that's somehow connected to demon cores at Fukushima, right? FBaggins Oct 2014 #25

Getting rid of all the nuclear waste in the cooling pools stored at the reactors should be first. greatlaurel Oct 2014 #4

Waste disposal is actually pretty easy FBaggins Oct 2014 #5

I didn't know you could recycle spent fule dlwickham Oct 2014 #6

Yep. You absolutely can. FBaggins Oct 2014 #7

That's one of the stupidest things I've ever read. bananas Oct 2014 #12

Breeder reactors? RobertEarl Oct 2014 #19

I didn't realize that you were so poorly read. FBaggins Oct 2014 #20

You can't recycle it, it's a PR term for reprocessing. bananas Oct 2014 #9

don't you lose some of the original aluminum in the process dlwickham Oct 2014 #16

Don't buy the spin FBaggins Oct 2014 #21

She's wrong, and Nuclear Matters is an astroturf group bananas Oct 2014 #8

NIRS is less credible. FBaggins Oct 2014 #11

Much better than coal. nt ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #10

Solar and wind RobertEarl Oct 2014 #13

Until solar and wind can generate on-demand 24/7 we need something else Lee-Lee Oct 2014 #17

Nuclear is the most expensive RobertEarl Oct 2014 #18

All evidence to the contrary FBaggins Oct 2014 #22

Obama and Exelon - TBF Oct 2014 #23

Not sure how we are going to solve our problems here. NCTraveler Oct 2014 #28

Good point RobertEarl Oct 2014 #35

Fukushima is a joke when compared to coal. NCTraveler Oct 2014 #43