Energy problems

[Administrator]

If you compare nuclear power to coal power dispassionately it's a little hard to call coal "clean".

The nuclear fuel cycle has far fewer deaths/TWh compared to the coal fuel cycle (the cycle is everything from survey & dig to deliver, burn & transmit).

Modern nuclear power plants emit an order (or two) of magnitude less radiation than a coal plant.  Coal comes from the earth and has trace amounts of heavy metals like uranium.  When they are burned to generate "clean coal" power, they release radiation into the atmosphere.

Another modernization of nuclear power allows reactors to re-use 95% of the material that was formerly "nuclear waste".  This technique extends the life of our current reserves to hundreds of years, and significantly reduces the amount of nuclear waste material.

I'll agree that neither technology is a good solution, but if you ask me, we could do a lot better with more nuclear plants.  Coal mining, delivery, burning, and transmission has killed many more people over the years, compared to nuclear power.  It's just that the emotional aspect of a tragedy like Three Mile Island makes the threat from nuclear plants much more immediate.  Just my thoughts, no offense intended to coal workers or their families, I know it's a tough job.

[bschumacher]

I think the solar energy industry should try putting solar collectors on top of parking garages and lots in hot, dry cities like Los Angeles and San Diego. This would reduce some of the pressure on the desert environment and place the energy source closer to those who need it.

[CappyBottoms]

Wind and Solar is the way to go. Flying over Ohio I see the big windmills on the mountains and I hope they will be everywhere someday.

[mlbevins]

Like I posted before I am for clean coal.  The thing that bothers me most about this issue is the area that I am from.  This is coal country.  My family and I have what we have because of coal.  No only that, the energy alternatives will not work here.  We live in the mountains.  There is no where to put windmills where they will be effective and there are homes in the area that the sun does not shine directly on homes because of the mountains so solar panels will not get you that far.  I really don't see any of the alternatives working all of the time.

[piegirl]

I think that hydrogen should be given our attention. 

I do know that they have been able to create a hydrogen fuel cell that works.  Problem it takes more coal to get the hydrogen converted than it saves.  However how wonderful would it be to use our abundant natural resource WATER it rains we get more.  It is not a fossil fuel that we will run out of.