We Need Nuclear... (1 Viewer)

[Uncle Gizmo]

I've always been against nuclear and for solar, but the Ukraine war, fundamentally about resources has changed my mind.

Solar, clean, green, the thinking man's machine has a problem.

As Solar's prominence grows then the oil rich countries dominance will decline. Some of these countries have nuclear weapons! These weapons are capable of causing a nuclear winter.

What better way to return fossil fuels to dominance than create a conflict involving nuclear weapons.

Small, distributed nuclear would mitigate this risk.....

 

[JonXL]

In what way is the Ukraine war "fundamentally about resources"?

For the rest, are you suggesting that if we no longer need to buy oil from some countries they're going to force us to anyway at the point of a warhead?

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

In what way is the Ukraine war "fundamentally about resources"?

See time index 5:30 & 20:00

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

force us to anyway at the point of a warhead?

It is well known that volcanic eruptions create a layer of airborne material that reduces global temperatures.

It is thought, but hasn't been tried yet, that a nuclear war could produce a similar effect, called a nuclear winter.

The nuclear winter effect would reduce, or possibly prevent solar radiation reaching the ground. This would stop solar panels working. By the way, it would also prevent plants growing, destroying a major food source.

It would be prudent to have an alternative energy supply and nuclear would fit the bill.

 

[Harrybrigham]

I have always thought that nuclear power was the best. It is clean, and if the power stations are built correctly, safe. Getting rid of the waste is a problem, but if it can be done cheaply, why not shoot it into the sun?

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

if it can be done cheaply, why not shoot it into the sun?

Good question!

It is reported that Musk's starship may get down to a launch cost of $10 / Kg. Not sure if this is low earth orbit though! A solar shot may cost more.

If each Kg of nuclear waste required another Kg to contain it, and then the cost of a satellite to fly it into the sun, the costs could quickly reach $600 which is the current underground storage cost.

There maybe objections to launching nuclear waste. If there was an accident, and the waste was released in to the atmosphere, that might be a difficult objection to overcome.

Mind you, if nuclear powered space craft become the norm, then I see no reason to prevent the launch of nuclear waste. But it's a long way off ....

 

[Grumm]

Good question!

It is reported that Musk's starship may get down to a launch cost of $10 / Kg. Not sure if this is low earth orbit though! A solar shot may cost more.

If each Kg of nuclear waste required another Kg to contain it, and then the cost of a satellite to fly it into the sun, the costs could quickly reach $600 which is the current underground storage cost.

There maybe objections to launching nuclear waste. If there was an accident, and the waste was released in to the atmosphere, that might be a difficult objection to overcome.

Mind you, if nuclear powered space craft become the norm, then I see no reason to prevent the launch of nuclear waste. But it's a long way off ....

Let's use some low budget rocket to just dump all our waste into space no need for a target. Once it is gone out of the milky-way, not our problem anymore. We see a lot a people tossing their cigarettes out the car/bike. I wonder what their thoughts are when they do that ? Don't they feel bad for littering ?

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

cigarettes out the car/bike.

I doubt motor cyclists "Smoke" whilst riding their bikes, unless they burn their leggings on the exhaust!

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

Once it is gone out of the milky-way, not our problem

We are an awful long way from that being a problem!

However nearer to home, we do have a problem with space junk orbiting the earth. My guess is that if there was a major collision in space between a couple of satellites, then it could create a barrier to further space exploration.

It might be wise to get some de-orbiting equipment positioned far enough out so that it could be operated remotely to clear any such barrier that is created.

 

[Pat Hartman]

We'd have to send our trash to the sun. Just sending it out into space would be pretty irresponsible. Nuclear is the best option we have currently.

I want someone to tell me how many acres of solar panels it takes to power a small city of 50,000 and then how many to power LA. Solar power looks good on paper but the reality doesn't work all by itself. You still need some other back up for when the sun doesn't shine, like every day overnight.

 

[Grumm]

I doubt motor cyclists "Smoke" whilst riding their bikes, unless they burn their leggings on the exhaust!

I mean the bicycles. You know, people coming home from work riding at 6km/h smoking and throwing shit on the ground

 

[ColinEssex]

We see a lot a people tossing their cigarettes out the car/bike. I wonder what their thoughts are when they do that ? Don't they feel bad for littering ?

No I don't. Compared to the massive pollution the USA creates in industry and the backhander payments they make to senators so they can carry on polluting, a fag end is nothing.
Col

 

[ColinEssex]

We'd have to send our trash to the sun. Just sending it out into space would be pretty irresponsible. Nuclear is the best option we have currently.

I want someone to tell me how many acres of solar panels it takes to power a small city of 50,000 and then how many to power LA. Solar power looks good on paper but the reality doesn't work all by itself. You still need some other back up for when the sun doesn't shine, like every day overnight.

Simple, you use a diesel engine generator.
Col

 

[Grumm]

Simple, you use a diesel engine generator.
Col

Or, since the earth is round (and turns) make a belt of solar panels so that at any times, half are in the sun.
(Can even put some satellites in space to redirect sunlight for even more powerful panels.)
If SpaceX can do it for internet, sure someone can do it for endless energy too no ?

 

[Harrybrigham]

Surely there must be a point in space not too far from earth that gravity will eventually take anything to the sun. I can't do the math, but I bet there are people that can.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

If SpaceX can do it for internet, sure someone can do it for endless energy too no ?

Musk calculated that you only need 10,000 Sq miles of solar to power the USA:-

Elon Musk is talking about powering all of America with solar

But how much would it cost? Well...

futurism.com

 

[Grumm]

Musk calculated that you only need 10,000 Sq miles of solar to power the USA:-

Link fixed:-

Elon Musk is talking about powering all of America with solar

But how much would it cost? Well...

futurism.com

I can't read the article, but in any case, everything we build now as an initial cost of nuclear power/resources.
And that is what people forget. Yes an electrical car is nice and without emissions, but did they count the emissions needed to actually make those cars ? And any pollution coming from it ?
Nothing is build for free in this world. And as long as one country has bigger guns than the next, power will always matter in order to get what is needed.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

but did they count the emissions needed to actually make those cars ?

Yes ,,, and they are better than ICE cars ...

 

[Grumm]

Yes ,,, and they are better than ICE cars ...

but that is the catch. There are studies (not sure how accurate or true it all is) but they claim that to make 1 80 kWh battery, you need around 155 GJ of energy that = 43022 kWh.
Later in the study, they compare it to the average Belgian household that consumes 3500 kWh /year...
I recall to read somewhere that an EV needs to travel more than 600 000 kms to have a total emission of 0. (from start of manufacturing to the finished product) Again, this is all a theory but I tend to believe that it is not as shiny as everyone believes it is. And definitely not a solution to the pollution problem.

Some things in the world can be explained with match and facts, but the media will never tell that and governments will more likely not telling the truth.

 

[Pat Hartman]

Facts, you want the media to give us facts, what are you a racist