Field of Science

If You Are Against Nuclear Power

The threat of nuclear war and the increasing rate of climate change means we must walk a thin line when it comes to nuclear power.
Image of a cooling tower at the abandoned Satsop Nuclear plant. Image by Tony Webster
When you are told what someone is against, ask them what they are for. If you against nuclear power, what kind of power are you for? Reasonable answers include coal, natural gas, biomass, wind, solar, hydro, or geothermal. However, not all of these answers are equally genuine given the constraints of our world. Renewable energy sources have not historically been economically or technologically viable. Our energy landscape is changing today. A future with more renewables and no nuclear power is possible, yet it may not be the best choice if we are serious about climate change. Nuclear power has often been eschewed out of fear, not practicality or rationality.

Read the rest of this post on the complexities of nuclear power over at at 3 Quarks Daily...

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