Dr. Conca reports that Dr. James Hansen, a leading climate scientist in the world, sent a letter to Governor Jerry Brown of California, about how nuclear energy was essential to fighting global warming. The letter was prompted by a recent announcement by P,G and E to close its well-running, low-carbon, low-cost nuclear reactors at Diablo Canyon because of political pressure from the state of California and especially Liberal Lt. Governor Mansion. New York addressed this issue just last week when it passed a true Clean Energy Standard that supports both renewables and nuclear.
The widespread claim that dozens of nuclear plants merit subsidies to protect the earth climate has been borne out by reality. At the same time, tax subsidies for renewables, plus low natural gas prices, are making reactors uneconomic in the short term. NY addressed this imbalance last week when it passed a true Clean Energy Standard that supports both renewables and nuclear. Passage came after all parties acknowledged carbon emissions would go up if even a single nuclear plant closed. But, strangely, California does not seem impressed by the threat of global warming, even after the state carbon emissions jumped when the San Onofre nuclear plant closed from a combination of technical and political reasons. That carbon-free electricity was replaced by costly out-of-state purchases of natural gas.
Similarly, if Diablo Canyon closes, its almost 18 billion kWhs per year, the largest and lowest-carbon electricity generation in California, will be replaced by less than 2 billion kWhs per year of similarly-low-carbon renewables, less than 2 billion kWhs per year from efficiency, and over 10 billion kWhs per year from high-carbon natural gas and more out-of-state purchases. California would have little hope of achieving its emissions goals by 2030. All of which is why James Hansen, and most of the rest of us, are at a loss to understand such foolishness on the part of California. Read on ..
Original URL: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2016/08/14/global-warming-and-nuclear-energy-jim-hansen-and-governor-brown/#390da25c3c4c
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