• kaffiene@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    I don’t think we should shutter existing nuclear plants, but renewables are a better idea than new nuclear plants

        • pizzazz@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          Let me know when renewables reach the stage where they don’t have to be backed up by coal and gas plants.

                • pizzazz@lemmy.world
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                  2 years ago

                  Give me an example of an industrialized country which runs on wind and solar without gas or coal backup plants.

                  • kaffiene@lemmy.world
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                    2 years ago

                    Most countries which are near 100% renewables are using hydro or geothermal. Wind and solar plants being added to the mix in large numbers is a very recent phenomenon.

    • Chris@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      Nuclear still has a much smaller footprint for power generation than renewables, at least solar and wind. I think “engineered safe” micro reactors can still play a part but as others have said those have been “20 years out” like Fusion for decades.

      • kaffiene@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        Solar can co-exist in the same space as other activities. It can exist in the same space at sheep in fields. It can exist atop rivers. Wind can exist out in the ocean. Those spaces are not available to Nuclear and some of those effectively take up no new space at all.

        • Chris@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          Very good point. I saw a you tube that talked about Germany exploring putting Solar shading over berry crops that typically use other types of shading and the rigid aspect of the solar panels actually had a better yield one season due to hail.