New tune for UK new nuclear build?

[FBaggins]

UK Energy Minister Chris Huhne, (right) who favors subsidies for wind power projects, and opposes loan guarantees, or anything like it for new nuclear reactors, sought this week to dampen the fiery criticism about his anti-nuclear policy view.

The BBC reports that Huhne said in a radio interview “the government is fully behind opening a new nuclear power station in eight years’ time.”

Huhne’s turnaround in his public statements about nuclear energy follows weeks of statements seemingly designed to sow fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) among electric utilities planning to build 15-18 GWe of new nuclear powered generating capacity at 11 sites. His latest statements are seen by the UK news media as an admission that relying on alternative energy sources like wind, solar, and tidal energy systems won’t be sufficient to meet the nation’s energy needs.

http://theenergycollective.com/dan-yurman/41375/new-tune-uk-new-nuclear-build

More from the DailyMail: "I was never against atomic power says Huhne as he promises eight new plants"


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1301560/Chris-Huhne-promises-8-new-nuclear-power-plants.html


That's gotta hurt.

[FunkyLeprechaun]

1. I support nuclear power

My hubby works in the industry reconditioning and designing the generators for nuclear power plants. I also support alternative energy means but it's a good short-term solution, nuclear power is good for the long-term.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. You don't need a weather man to know which way the wind blows

20% of it will blow into wind farms by 2020 (UK) or 2030 (USA). Maybe 25% if battery/flywheel/compression storage can be made sufficiently inexpensive.

Improved efficiency -- "conservation", though that's an inelegant way to put it -- will probably whack another 20% off the ugly tree, the same way it did in the 1980s.

Solar energy will make a significant contribution, particularly if we ever find a way to convert press releases into energy.

The rest has to come from somewhere. Fossil fuel will soon not be an option.

--d!

[joshcryer]

3. Main problem is siting, the UK has a wealth of offshore wind.

It's just that one of their biggest windfarms wasn't even placed where the wind blew. They've begun to remedy this situation, but it is really pathetic when they can't get something as trivial as "where does the wind blow?" correct.