Nuclear Power is Not the Answer Book Cover

Nuclear Power Is Not The Answer

To Global Warming or Anything Else
Helen Caldicott

<Rating: 4.5 stars>
This book leaves no doubt on all fronts that globally we should not go down the nuclear path.

Here are the some of the prominent reasons given by Helen.
Nuclear Power:
  • Is not a carbon neutral due to the fuel manufacturing, plant construction and waste handling;
  • Is not cost effective and is heavily subsidized by Governments from every conceivable angle;
  • Exposes workers to radiation during mining, enrichment, plant op's, fuel storage and plant decommissioning;
  • Exposes the local community and environment through regular illegal yet essential venting of radioactive gases;
  • Risks of meltdown, attack and theft of nuclear material leading to terrorist threats;
  • Ignores cheaper effective renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, wave, tidal and hot rock.
  • Will take too long (15-20 years) to develop in Australia where we need to cut emissions now.
One of the arguments for Nuclear is that it can provide "Peak" and/or "Baseload" energy demands that 'irregular' renewables can not. The reality is that peak and baseload demands can be met by renewables when connected in a grid system. The sun may not shine at night, but the wind and tides still keep going and 'hot rocks' are still hot.

In a transition phase, coal and gas can be phased down and kept in reserve. The Snowy Hydro system already operates like a battery, storing energy during the day by pumping water from low dams to high dams when energy is available and resupplying the energy when other sources drop. Night-time baseload demand can also be reduced by the community switching from 'off-peak' to solar hot water, where energy is collected and stored when available during the day.

more... www.foe.org.au
more... www.safecom.org.au
more... www.acfonline.org.au

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Updated Feb 2008