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Japan steps away from nuclear power : Comments
By John Daly, published 26/9/2012The global nuclear power industry has three strikes against it: cost, catastrophes, and the not inconsiderable problem of disposing of nuclear waste.
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"a development that ensures that developed nations will be in increasing competition for global supplies of oil, natural gas and coal, whose production is struggling to keep up with increasing demand."
Granted coal prices are historically high due to demand from China but they have come off the boil and are now sliding down the other side (temporary recoveries aside). Basically the resources boom is past its peak. Oil prices are certainly up, for various reasons, but gas prices globally have been coming down (albeit going up in aus, because the gas market is becoming global).
This is good news as conventional power is becoming more competitive with nuclear power, and attempts to change this through carbon pricing aren't really working (higher electricity prices in Aus are due to distribution costs, not fuel costs).
So countries who have decided to get rid of their nuclear plants can replace them relatively easily with efficient, well managed gas and coal plants, and perhaps even reduce power prices. There will be an increase in emissions, but that is the penalty we must pay for this obsession over nuclear energy.
Some people want to replace sections of the fossil fuel capacity with renewables? Tell them they're dreaming.