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Originally Posted by Tinordi
How would a proposed power mix that you support be more diverse that what is unfolding in Germany, Ontario and elsewhere?
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More nuclear.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinordi
What Germany's doing is adding MORE diversity to its system. As a result it's become alot more energy secure in the process while the reliability of their electricity grid is actually increasing.
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And more expensive with a lower return on energy invested. Not to say that greener sources are not worth that price of admission, but let's not ignore it either.
This is what strikes a chord with me:
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People debate energy mix on a moral level because it is forcing us to make value based decisions. We all may agree that it's a good idea to live in harmony with our environment but there are a lot of people that like inexpensive meat and energy during their lifetimes more than the idea of making sure the planet is habitable in another 250 years.
For example I deeply believe that we need to be good stewards of our environment and that through concentrating population density and deploying technology, we can decouple advancement from environmental impact.. but I cannot accept that we need to push a solution that requires high cost of energy to work, even though I place a very high value on things like electricity and all that it brings. This is 100% against my friends who applauded forecasts of energy costs rising in Alberta because it meant solar and wind would now be economic to deploy. To me the logic just seemed so backwards but it is becuase the thinking is not consistent with my values. We will never be able to bring the 2 billion people who live in abject energy poverty out of that position with a technology that is effectively a luxury by first world standards and in your addresses grid electricity - ignoring industrial and process heat/power needs and the convenient omission that the construction of a major, advanced grid innebery developing nation ay not be a luxury that we can all afford.
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It goes back to the fundamental intersection of the first law of thermodynamics, economics and quality of life. The world fundamentally cannot maintain the same standard of living (or grow 2 billion people out of poverty) at current energy costs using renewables.
Cheaper energy, greener energy, higher standard of living. Pick 2.
That is the #1 thing I want those who debate energy mix on a moral level to realize. Then we can start to have an educated and productive conversation on how to move the world forward. Because you and I are sitting on the same side of the same table, just in slightly different positions.