More than 68% of New European Electricity Capacity Came From Wind and Solar in 2011

[kristopher]

26. In other words you can't answer the question without showing you are being misleading.

In the first place, the line of argument about shutting down nuclear plants is a red herring, it isn't related to the discussion at all unless you are replying to this reference in post #3:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/11275859

And if you were, then you seem seriously confused about what that article is about since the reductions in nuclear are gradual and result from increased deployment of renewable generation - thus negating the entire premise of your screed.

As for your position that humans aren't to be trusted with nuclear power, I can only say that you are extremely consistent over many years in writing posts that contradict the position you claim here to hold.

You can't minimize the significance of the OP - 68% of new capacity in the EU last year was renewable energy.

You want to portray the OP as representing some sort of failure because natural gas is also surging. While I can appreciate the purity of the call to eliminate all fossil fuels as soon as possible, the fact is that the process is going to require decades to accomplish. It is also a fact that the different generating sources have different operational characteristics that must be considered when we prioritize our choices now and going forward.

In that sense the additional deployment of natural gas is a step in the right direction. Even if it emits CO2 at a level similar to coal there are significant differences in the way it integrates with renewables that work to create a grid that encourages deployment of ever increasing levels of renewables and expanding efforts at energy efficiency and conservation.

Nuclear and coal are NOT compatible with renewables, energy efficiency efforts or conservation in the same way. In fact they are virtual twins of each other and form the basis of a system that works to shut out renewables and expand not only the level of consumption overall but also the consumption of natural gas.