We are at (or even beyond) a crisis point in our ability to meet our basic energy requirements. Without a large investment in viable and available energy generation, we face black-outs and societal dislocation. If (or rather when) the lights go out, people will die and industry will grind to a halt. The main victims (and there will be thousands of them) will be mainly the poor, old and frail whose gas boilers won't turn on in a sudden cold or who are reduced to fuel poverty in order to finance the useless white elephant wind turbine fleet.
Consequently, Billothewisp supports a large increase in Nuclear Power generation. It is really the only way forward to ensure we have a secure energy source while allowing us to move away from fossil fuels. Other more fashionable generating methods, such as wind power simply do not cut the mustard and are a waste of time and money.
With regard to Global Warming, I am what Anthony Watts would call a Luke Warmer. i.e. I am open to persuasion - I am not closed to rational debate. But I generally go along with the scientific majority.
But in many ways Global Warming is irrelevant to the debate whether we need nuclear power or not. We need energy. We cannot adopt a Luddite anti-technology stance without seriously damaging our children's future. We will have to build nuclear or fossil plants. Except for Hydro no other generating methodology is truly viable.
Fossil fuels are very much yesterday's technology. They are dangerous, polluting and devour resources. Modern fourth generation nuclear has the promise of freeing us from dependence on rogue states while giving us plentiful energy.
Here my list of posts on nuclear power and energy policy
February 2012
The Ghost of Winfrith
January 2012
1. Fukishima Cold Shutdown
2. Infant Mortality and Fukishima
3. Nuclear Accident Casualty Figures
4. The Windscale Fire 55 years on
5. Keeping the Lights On with Nuclear
June 2011
European Electricity Prices Compared
The Case Against Coal
New Nuclear Sites Confirmed
May 2011
Fukishima Time To Go Home
Energy Policy and the Scottish Letter
April 2011
A Natural Experiment; The Fukishima Reactors
February 2011
Glowing In the Dark
January 2011
Superstition and Disease
December 2010
Steaming Into a Crisis
October 2010
Huhne and Humble Pie
May 2010
The Coming Dark Age
Nuclear is the Only Viable Option
January 2010
Thorium Nuclear Reactors
