Sacrificing the desert to save the Earth

[OKIsItJustMe]

27. And how many square miles of land will be yielded uninhabitable by a solar accident?

Seriously, a solar farm will not “destroy” the land. The land is still there under the solar farm.

Open pit uranium mining on the other hand…


Let’s put our thinking caps on for a moment…

http://www.nei.org/newsandevents/newsreleases/nuclear-industry-opposes-administrations-mining-ban-in-southwestern-united-states

[font face=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]Nuclear Energy Institute FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:202.739.8000
For Release:January 9, 2012

[font size=5]Nuclear Industry Opposes Administration's Mining Ban in Southwestern United States[/font]

[font size=3]WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today announced a 20-year ban on new hardrock mining claims on one million acres surrounding the 1.2 million-acre Grand Canyon. The region is rich in uranium deposits. Following is a statement from the Nuclear Energy Institute’s Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs, Alex Flint:

“Because there is no scientifically verified threat to the Grand Canyon’s environment from uranium mining, the nuclear energy industry opposes the prohibition announced today. Without scientific justification, the administration’s decision prevents mining for some of the nation’s best high-grade uranium deposits.

“This decision actually makes more challenging the difficult struggle to reduce America’s dependence on imported sources of energy. The land covered by this prohibition contains as much as 375 million pounds of uranium, seven times current U.S. annual demand. Our nation’s ability to realistically pursue energy independence hinges in part on our ability and willingness to produce uranium supplies domestically. Thirty years ago, reactors here used U.S.-mined uranium for all of our electricity production, but the level today is less than 10 percent.

…[/font][/font]

OK, so (according to the nuclear power industry) setting aside one million acres (~1,500 square miles) of land around the Grand Canyon means giving up (maybe as much as) 7 years supply of uranium (remember, we’re talking about, “some of the nation’s best high-grade uranium deposits.”) Nuclear power provides about 20% of our electricity.

In comparison, the department of energy has long stated that a square, 100 miles on a side (i.e. 10,000 square miles) of desert would be sufficient to provide all of our electrical needs.

So, let’s say, that to provide 20% of our electrical needs (i.e. to replace nuclear power) it would take 2,000 square miles of solar farms.

Here’s the kicker: After providing 7 years of nuclear power, you’re going to have to dig somewhere else.