Brits propose nuclear "renaissance"; Germans want to tax fuel rods (possible shutdown)

Some Brit eggheads from Cambridge are proposing a nuclear "renaissance", with replacement parts (novel concept), mobile power plants, much more efficient reactors, and "single use" sealed plants, the last idea improving security concerns. Their ideas are in response to decommissioning of current plants and environmental projections (i.e., global warming, dontcha know).

I think that the idea of small modular plants is catching on. They can show up in a lot of different ways. Our energy times are a-changin', whether or not the dinosaurs and denialists admit it and adapt to it.

Scientists call for global nuclear renaissance in new study

In other nuke news, the German government wants to tax fuel rods, but the German power producers don't like that power play, and are threatening a shutdown. They want a voluntary contribution system instead.

The Energy Collective has some deep insight on this:

Merkel's nuclear energy tax plan backfires

Interesting segment:

Merkel also wants Germany, and Europe, to do more to cut greenhouse gases. Green groups praise her for that, but want the nation's reactors shut down by 2020 to be replaced by wind and solar energy projects.

Germany's export driven heavy industry is flatly opposed to the phase out of nuclear energy and asserts that pragmatic considerations indicate the reactors could be needed for another 30 years. No one has talked about building new reactors which the nation must start planning for now if it expects to keep their 25% share of the nation's power consumption.

I think Plan B is MUCH more realistic.