one factor in the groundswell in favor of renewables here is a feeling of optimism that German engineering will rise to the challenge and find new technologies / refine existing ones to a point where they can compete against fossil fuels / nuclear. One of my mates is R&D director of a specialist engineering company here and he thinks it can be done so it's not just utopian greenies who are on the bandwagon.
This might explain why there is less resistance from big industry here than one would normally expect
Gee- The german government bonkers? Whoulda ever thunk it?
beamends wrote:
I shouldn't think so. The Germans (as in general public) seem to genuinely not want nuclear, they have had strong Green politicians for years. I wasn't being ironic, I'm genuinely interested in how they propose to do it. I was, however, being ironic about the electric cars as the very same people who are against nuclear (and coal, and oil, and gas) power are often the very same who want electric cars - they just seen to think electric cars run on magic moonbeams rather than the output of power stations.
one factor in the groundswell in favor of renewables here is a feeling of optimism that German engineering will rise to the challenge and find new technologies / refine existing ones to a point where they can compete against fossil fuels / nuclear. One of my mates is R&D director of a specialist engineering company here and he thinks it can be done so it's not just utopian greenies who are on the bandwagon.
This might explain why there is less resistance from big industry here than one would normally expect.
Exactly. Silly kniggits. Perhaps the German people will throw the clowns out of office once they figure out they've elected dunces.
Now about those threats to big coal in the U.S. of A....
I shouldn't think so. The Germans (as in general public) seem to genuinely not want nuclear, they have had strong Green politicians for years. I wasn't being ironic, I'm genuinely interested in how they propose to do it. I was, however, being ironic about the electric cars as the very same people who are against nuclear (and coal, and oil, and gas) power are often the very same who want electric cars - they just seen to think electric cars run on magic moonbeams rather than the output of power stations.
My observation- this move by the German government is bonkers.
It's going to be interesting to see how they are going to replace the 23% of their generating capacity - plus power all those electric cars that are being touted so hard.
Don't know if anybody else has been following it but there has been a series of excellent articles on this issue in the Guardian (both for and against). The comments are also worth reading (if you have time!!).
(Reasonably assured and inferred resources recoverable at up to $80/kg Th)
Country
Tonnes
% of total
Australia
489,000
19
USA
400,000
15
Turkey
344,000
13
India
319,000
12
Venezuela
300,000
12
Brazil
302,000
12
Norway
132,000
5
Egypt
100,000
4
Russia
75,000
3
Greenland
54,000
2
Canada
44,000
2
South Africa
18,000
1
Other countries
33,000
1
World total
2,610,000
Great, here come the Canadians.... And heavy water breeder reactors using thorium are a fantastic energy source. Politics is the only reason we don't have them running everywhere.
What's with the '70's porn music background? I keep waiting for the plumber to show up so the housewife with the huge,unshaved bush on her crotch can open the door with her negligee all askew.
I almost mentioned that. It definitely scored points with me.
ok, i stayed up late and got up early reading and watching some info on what may be is a very viable alternative to this situation.
In a word, Thorium. (It's cheap, plentiful, way more efficient and you can't make bombs/weapons with it, which is why I believe the powers that be have worked to squelch it. )
What's with the '70's porn music background? I keep waiting for the plumber to show up so the housewife with the huge, unshaved bush on her crotch can open the door with her negligee all askew.
ok, i stayed up late and got up early reading and watching some info on what may be is a very viable alternative to this situation.
In a word, Thorium. (It's cheap, plentiful, way more efficient and you can't make bombs/weapons with it, which is why I believe the powers that be have worked to squelch it.
Thorium looks like a less problematic solution, though I don't doubt it will have it's own problems. Inevitably there's only one way to find out
In answer to the question : Saviour - with reservations.
Thorium makes perfect sense....therefore it won't happen....
