Sunday, July 13, 2014

60% by 2050


If we are to reign in global warming from the CO2 induced enhanced greenhouse effect, we collectively as a humanity interested in our long-term survival will have to make emissions cuts.  That means a new mix of energy sources.  It won't be a surprise to learn that I favor nuclear energy as a major player in the mix.  I think it's inevitable.

From Blad Plumer on Vox:  Here's what the world would look like if we took global warming seriously

"The United States eventually gets 30 percent of its electricity from nuclear power and 40 percent of its electricity from renewable sources like hydro, wind, and solar by 2050. Electric vehicles would handle about 75 percent of all trips. Large trucks would get switched over to natural gas. The coal plants that remained would all capture their carbon-dioxide emissions and bury them underground. Every single building would adopt LEDs for lighting."

like this












"In the scenario above, for instance, the researchers assume that technology to capture coal emissions and bury them underground (known as "CCS") would become commercially viable by 2025. They also assumed long-range electric vehicles would be widely available by 2025. And that hydrogen fuel cells would be available by 2035. And that nuclear power is allowed to expand in many countries."

But then there's THIS:


"But if any of those technologies are slow coming to market, then countries would need to find other ways to cut emissions. For instance, if carbon capture is slow to develop, the researchers found, then the United States might have to rely on nuclear power for up to 60 percent of its electricity needs by 2050 to make those cuts. And if, on top of that, there's resistance to nuclear power — say, due to local opposition or safety concerns — then renewables would have to supply 75 percent of US electricity needs, an even tougher task."

So, two things: one, the know-nothing skeptics and the do-nothing skeptics (there are two flavors like that) need to get out of the way of the science and the needs of the global populace.  Two, a lot more energy people need to acknowledge in the U.S. what many other countries in the world are realizing, and thus planning and building more nuclear power capacity -- we NEED nuclear power as the bridge technology to slow down the pace of global warming and get our world off of its addiction to fossil fuels.

It's not too late.  But every year we get closer to too late.

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