Nuclear energy, thoughts

[Tashyboy]

Me and foxholer are having some "man love" on the Brexit second vote thread, which has obvious links to fossil fuel and CO emissions etc etc. Anyway it has been mentioned about going onto nuclear energy for clean energy, but should we and could we. I can remember reading years ago about nuclear energy and the splitting of the atom, creating energy and waste. But it was mentioned about a nuclear energy where the atom isn't split, hence no waste. But that technology is 40 years off. Anyway Nuclear energy or not.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Sounds great but we still don't know how to deal with the waste yet. Until that has been resolved I don't believe we should be building more nuclear stations. Nuclear waste is not a minor issue.

 

[USER1999]

Sounds great but we still don't know how to deal with the waste yet. Until that has been resolved I don't believe we should be building more nuclear stations. Nuclear waste is not a minor issue.

It is if you just dump it in Nigeria.

 

[pendodave]

Sounds great but we still don't know how to deal with the waste yet. Until that has been resolved I don't believe we should be building more nuclear stations. Nuclear waste is not a minor issue.

Agreed. Plus the (literally) catastrophic consequences of an incident.

As for fusion, it's been 20 years away since I was at school, and I'll be dead soon enough...

 

[DCB]

Nuclear has to be included in our plans for future power generation. We can't rely on Solar and Wind and as we can't use fossil fuel any more we need something to keep the generators turning. I was against it 40 years ago when Torness was being commissioned, but, things have moved on since then.

 

[ManinBlack]

If we are going to do away with petrol & diesel cars by 2030 we're going to need a massive amount of extra electricity. This can only come from nuclear power, there's no other choice. By then, it's likely that cars will be powered by a mixture of electricity & hydrogen, but even the hydrogen will need electricity to produce it.

 

[jim8flog]

As I still want the lights to come on when I press the switch, during my remaining lifetime, it has to be a yes for me.

 

[hors limite]

If we are going to stop using fossil fuels, nuclear at present, is the only alternative.Solar and wind are all well and good but they need 100% conventional back up for when the sun and wind aren't doing their bit. I suppose that if battery technology takes a big leap forward that might help.

 

[GaryK]

We just need to hope that Homer is not in charge of the nuclear plant

 

[MegaSteve]

Should have embraced it years ago...
Green energy won't be sufficient for our future needs...

 

[Beezerk]

We just need to hope that Homer is not in charge of the nuclear plant

It’s nucular 😁

 

[Tashyboy]

We just need to hope that Homer is not in charge of the nuclear plant

Pmsl. 👍

 

[Jimaroid]

I think something like this...

Burning of fossil fuels has and will continue to do unpredictable and long term change in the environment of the entire planet. All humans suffer.
Renewable energy is clean but unpredictable and the carbon output to obtain precious metals required for batteries to solve predictability is as bad as fossil fuels. All humans suffer.
Nuclear fission is a safer prospect, based purely on the crude assessment that its damage is generally localised to smaller areas of the planet. Some humans suffer.
Nuclear fusion would be safe, clean, viable and "just" needs low energy but insanely powerful magnets to exist first. Doesn't exist yet.

I think I'd settle on "some humans suffer" instead of everyone suffering in the short term.

A combination of renewable and both fission and fusion is the future, especially if we live to see the expected breakthrough in graphene for energy storage, the theory being that renewable could provide enough stored energy to power fusion reactors.

 

[IanM]

"'Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds, have no fear for atomic energy, cos none of dem can stop the time."

Redemption Song... wonderful stuff.... and Marley wasnt writing to keep his research tenure! (but agree with the bit about waste management!)

 

[HughJars]

Nuclear has to be included in our plans for future power generation. We can't rely on Solar and Wind and as we can't use fossil fuel any more we need something to keep the generators turning. I was against it 40 years ago when Torness was being commissioned, but, things have moved on since then.

We must be similar age. When I was at school all my mates were CND types, me, I went around with 'nuclear power, yes please' badges and the like. I've always been good at devil's advocate, and trolling the *** out of people before the phrase was even born.

But, I don't agree with you at all. Scotland is already almost self-sufficient in renewables, and that was also something I was wholly against initially because it looked so expensive and inefficient (not to mention the blot on the landscape), but technology is improving all the time, and it sure looks like Scotland doesnt need nuclear, and more southern climes can make use of wave & solar rather than wind.

Nuclear is a dead duck with no upside.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

We must be similar age. When I was at school all my mates were CND types, me, I went around with 'nuclear power, yes please' badges and the like. I've always been good at devil's advocate, and trolling the *** out of people before the phrase was even born.

But, I don't agree with you at all. Scotland is already almost self-sufficient in renewables, and that was also something I was wholly against initially because it looked so expensive and inefficient (not to mention the blot on the landscape), but technology is improving all the time, and it sure looks like Scotland doesnt need nuclear, and more southern climes can make use of wave & solar rather than wind.

Nuclear is a dead duck with no upside.

I dunno if it blows we would most
Likely take France with us.. not all bad lol

 

[SatchFan]

Can't say I'm too bothered by nuclear issues. If you are travelling past Chernobyl any time try the lamb wings. They're delicious.

 

[srixon 1]

Did anyone ever see the River Monsters episode where he was fishing in the water around Chernobyl. The supposed monster fish were actually much smaller than they should have been.

 

[Hobbit]

I was all for wind farms.... until there were almost 30 of them placed just offshore from Cleveland golf club. They're ugly as sin, and a definite blot on the horizon. Solar farms; yes. Wave power; why not. Nuclear; if the same effort, and money, is put into sorting out disposal of the waste it shouldn't be a problem.

Equally, look at all the coal that's left. It might have been too expensive, and dirty, but times and needs have changed. Technology means cleaner burning, and the price is now more equitable.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

What I think is the interesting aspect, is if Oil runs out then surely we will struggle to make many things as oil is used during the production or transportation of many things (whether in the products or during production, so how would you make the things to be used in other energy sources).

I am going to ignore the issue should we(which I think we should not), is there any reason why nuclear waste could not put up in space, assuming it could be done with safety or is it a lot bigger than I imagine ?