Monday, December 1, 2008

If not biomass, what?

If we shouldn’t get our energy from fossil fuels, such as oil, gas or coal, because we are running out of resources and because of the long-lasting and damaging effects on the environment, where do we get it?

Nuclear is bad, we are told, because of the potentially catastrophic nature of an accident, and so no new plants have been built in two decades.

Wind does not work here most of the time.

Solar can help, but thus far it has not been shown to be commercially viable on a large scale, as a replacement for existing power sources.

And we have just – or are about to – run off a planned biomass plant by Biomass Gas & Electric, one of the nation’s leading biomass companies, which uses renewable sources of fuel to produce energy.

So I’m back to: Where are we supposed to get our energy from? What are our options?

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1 comment:

kent mccoy said...

07dec08--1208pm
bob
I sent you and email on my views re long term energy soulutions for our country. I'm an unabashed nuclear power advocate as are a growing number of people are worldwide. I feel this is one of the least understood and maligned subjects on the energy front. If you look at the facts you will discover:
1--nuclear energy is one of the safest, most efficient energy sources available WHEN USED RESPONSIBLY.
2--Look around if you dont believe me--to wit:
---The US Navy has used nuclear power for its submarine-- ice breaker and destroyer fleet for over 50 years now without any serious incidents.
---France gets 80% of its energy from nuclear plants throughout the country and has had no incidents in over 60 years now !! they have also long ago solved the disposal problem for spent fuel---they encapsulate it in a very hard shell of a super strong mixture of concrete,steel and plastic and bury it in 4000' deep caves in the south of France. Never so much as a peep out of this solution for 3/4of a century now!!
--Other major nations are lining up to use nuclear fuel as its primary source of energy--this includes GreatBritain,Sweden,Norway,Japan and others.

The US is now poised to commit to a massive investment in nuclear power with backing from some very influential sources eg Pete
Domechi, US senator(Ariz) and others

Lets get with the program folks and invest in the solution--wind and solar are fine but can only ever be but a limited part of the total solution--we need a more reliable source of a much greater magnitude and nuclear is the way