Brumfiel, G. (2022, December 13). U.S. reaches a fusion power milestone. will it be enough to save the planet? NPR. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://www.npr.org/2022/12/13/1142208055/nuclear-fusion-breakthrough-climate-change
Due to the war in Ukraine, Germany has faced hard decisions regarding its energy shortage. One of the ways to ensure its citizens do not freeze in the winter is to continue maintaining the nuclear power plants. However, trying to build more nuclear power plants to reduce the usage of coal will need to take convincing of the German public, despite the fact that nuclear power is “5.6 percent” of Germany’s power supply and poses less health risks compared to fossil fuels.
Seeing how Germany has dealt with the energy crisis has been interesting. It shows the future of nuclear power as long term, it does provide a relatively clean source of energy. However, in the article, it mentions how Germany’s energy supply is “29.4 percent coal” which presents Germany’s grapple with switching to cleaner energy sources such as nuclear or pleading the majority of the population by continuing to use energy sources that many think are safer but are significantly more dangerous than nuclear. However, I agree with the main argument of the article: Germany’s best route out of a dependency on other countries for fossil fuels and to meet its climate goals is to increase the presence of nuclear power as an energy source.
It’s interesting because Germany has the reputation as being so proactive on alternative energies. However, 29% coal doesn’t seem so progressive to me. In this situation, it seems the emotion is driving the policy rather than science. Based on what you know about energy, do you think nuclear should be ramped up in Germany against the public at large’s sentiments, which may not be based in fact?
Will the war in Ukraine speed up their need to become less reliant on fossil fuels?
Thanks for all your good contributions on this topic this year, Datis.