carbon tax revolt, page-29

Zonetrader,

You are close to the mark with this post but you are not clear on the purpose of the carbon tax. Our need for a low carbon future means coal fired power will have to be phased out. Economic incentive is the way to go but renewables bring their own costs. Renewables are Intermittent, expensive sources and they require levels of redundancy if they are to provide reliable supply and base load coal is unavailable. This adds to an already high cost.

As we head down this path, the nuclear alternative will become more attractive. Gen 3+ power plants are already under construction and molten salt thorium designs are showing intrinsic safety and attractive, long term resource and waste profiles. The major problem with nuclear power is the fear generated by a sophisticated, politically driven, anti nuclear lobby. Nuclear power is dangerous but it is highly regulated. Nuclear power deaths are orders of magnitude lower than either the coal power industry or the hydro power industry. Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukishima are welded into worldwide political consciousness but who can name the coal mine disasters of this period? The antinuclear lobby plays the fear card very effectively even though the evidence is that the hazards from radiation are manageable.

Once we start paying more for power, perhaps nuclear power will return to favour, who knows?