"New nuclear capacity of 3.3 gigawatts (GW) in 2017 was outweighed by lost capacity of 4.6 GW. Over the past 20 years, there has been modest growth (12.6%, 44 GW) in global nuclear power capacity if reactors currently in long-term outage are included. However, including those reactors ... in the count of ‘operable’ or ‘operational’ or ‘operating’ reactors is, as former WNA executive Steve Kidd states, 'misleading' and 'clearly ridiculous'."
- #JimGreen, 2018
https://energypost.eu/nuclear-power-in-crisis-welcome-to-the-era-of-nuclear-decommissioning/
"Renewables (24.5% of global generation) generate more than twice as much electricity as nuclear power (<10.5%) and the gap is growing rapidly. The International Energy Agency predicts renewable energy capacity growth of 43% (920 GW) from 2017 to 2022. Overall, the share of renewables in power generation will reach 30% in 2022 according to the IEA. By then, nuclear’s share will be around 10% and renewables will be out-generating nuclear by a factor of three."
"Lobbyists engaged each other in heated arguments over possible solutions to nuclear power’s crisis ‒ in a nutshell, some favour industry consolidation while others think innovation is essential, all of them think that taxpayer subsidies need to be massively increased, and none of them are interested in the tedious work of building public support by strengthening nuclear safety and regulatory standards, strengthening the safeguards system, etc."
"One indication of the industry’s desperation has been the recent willingness of industry bodies (such as the US Nuclear Energy Institute) and supporters (such as former US energy secretary Ernest Moniz) to openly acknowledge the connections between nuclear power and weapons, and using those connections as an argument for increased taxpayer subsidies for nuclear power and the broader ‘civil’ nuclear fuel cycle."
Chilling.
Also, if you're thinking fast breeder reactors will keep the nuclear power ship afloat:
"The performance of the Superphénix reactor was as dismal as Monju. Superphénix was meant to be the world’s first commercial fast reactor but in the 13 years of its miserable existence it rarely operated ‒ its ‘Energy Unavailability Factor’ was 90.8% according to the IAEA. Note that the fast reactor lobbyists complain about the intermittency of wind and solar!"
https://energypost.eu/slow-death-fast-reactors/
In summary, renewables come with a range of pros and cons, but they are the only energy option available for a sustainable future.
Yes, together with fossil gas plants to make electricity while renewables don't work.
@kravietz do you realize you are reducing renewable sources to the most intermittent ones (photovoltaic solar and onshore wind), as if there's no other kind? A few points to consider:
* Passive and thermal solar systems can use stored solar energy at night
* Offshore wind is pretty constant
* Baseline can be provided by geothermal, hydro (both lakes and micro), or tidal, depending on the geography of energy users
* Most high energy manufacturing is (or could be) done during the day.
So your "a few points to consider" are just a way to convince *yourself* that 100% RE is practically possible but in reality are a mix of wishful thinking and denial.
This is no different from climate deniers ("oh we can just use geoengineering when it becomes too hot") and has exactly the same effect as climate deniers.
This denial has consequences in both cases: thanks to this denial by Greens, Germany right now emits 5x more CO2 from energy sector than France.
