Obama Energy Plan: He Gets It Right! Embraces Nuclear

[Kermit]

Barack Obama‘s State of the Union Address made clear his intention to reform America’s energy portfolio. Something that is needed as much there is it is here, where politicians are jumping all over the wind and renewable bandwagon as if it was a tried and tested technology that solely powered countries elsewhere, when in reality, right now it simply can't.

So what does Obama propose, and why do i think he has it right? Well without jumping into the exact numbers proposed, basically Obama wants to drastically slash the massive subsidies currently given to oil and gas technologies, the technology of yesterday, and invest those billions in savings into the energy of today, nuclear, clean coal, and into the energy of the future, wind solar, tidal what have you.

Why is this good? Well anyone who knows about technologies like wind ans solar will tell you that yes it is fantastic while getting better everyday and will be around for a long time to come, but at this current juncture is no where near reliable enough to power a country. What we need is a serious transition, and like all major transitions it will take time. Its innovation before implementation. Check out the article for the full plan and all of the numbers.
http://envirogy.ca/2011/02/16/innovation-before-implementation-why-obama-has-us-energy-policy-right/

[bhhb.ffgf]

McCain is a liar. He takes soundbites and makes it seem as if Obama doesn't have a plan.

[IroNik]

I agree. I can't tell you how many times I have heard of Obama saying something stupid, or pushing for a plan that makes no sense, then I hear it from him and not a pundit, and it makes complete sense. They say whatever he said in the worst possible twisted up way to make something positive sound bad.

[Harry_Flew]

That plan looks pretty good. Winning over people after what is happening in Japan with their plants must be hard, but it is the right way forward to bridge the gap between old school power and new school renewable power....if not built on a fault line.

[IroNik]

Nuclear power has been around, generating massive quantities of energy, far more than oil, coal or ANYTHING else, for over 50 years with only 2 notable accidents. Take the death toll from those accidents, add in every case of cancer in the area, EVERY case, not just ones proven from the plant add any principle deaths, and the death toll is still far lower than coal mining, and oil rig accidents. That isn't factoring lung diseases caused by the sulfur and whatnot in the air from both coal and oil. This isn't to say that nuclear is so safe, but it is right in there with the rest, hence the hysteria and the call to shut them all down, which would destroy our generation capacity, and be throwing away trillions of dollars, is irrational. Some reading for those not convinced...
http://abetterenergyplan.ca/#/news/Understanding_Radiation
http://abetterenergyplan.ca/#/news/accident-here?
http://abetterenergyplan.ca/#/news/comparison-of-canadian-candu-reactors-to-japanese-bwr-reactorshttp://abetterenergyplan.ca/#/news/japan_nuc_success

[Kermit]

harry, Ironik.

I agree with both of you.

We really have to be cautionary of another moral panic over nuclear occuring following the japan tragedy.

The context of the events their are extremely unique and do not apply to the majority of nuclear power plants throughout the world.

[goGreenEnergy]

My professor in physics constantly talked about how nuclear was the way to go for now and gave constant reasons as to why. Good plan for Obama, steps in the right direction. Someday the sun alone will power every thing (since thats where all earth energy comes from anyway) but today is not the day.

[SnellExperts]

My professor in physics constantly talked about how nuclear was the way to go for now and gave constant reasons as to why. Good plan for Obama, steps in the right direction. Someday the sun alone will power every thing (since thats where all earth energy comes from anyway) but today is not the day.

Thats nice to think about and everything. But what happens when the sun burns out and we have converted everything to solar energy? Its bound to happen one day, may not be anytime soon.

[maxkone]

Thats nice to think about and everything. But what happens when the sun burns out and we have converted everything to solar energy? Its bound to happen one day, may not be anytime soon.

When the sun burns out, we won't have to worry about it...cause we'll all be goners. No more photosynthesis...no more oxygen...no more humans.

Actually that also means no humans to consume energy...so there you go, problem solved! :D

[SnellExperts]

Good point. It won't matter then will it lol. I honestly don't know why more people haven't switched over to solar, the savings are tremendous over time!