There are two good articles today at greentechmedia covering positions for and against nuclear power.

Both are well argued positions about nuclear power.  I hope a middle-ground, all-of-the-above, approach is adopted nationally.  This should include nuclear, but not at the detriment of other power sources.  However, I do hope that coal powered plants can be phased out.  If you like coal, then move next to a power plant or mine.  Along these lines, much work is needed to make nuclear waste, and proliferation, secure and safe.

Regarding solar, to pro-nuclear article states the obvious that it represents a small fraction of our energy production today, but does not make the case about its' viability.  This argument is like telling a 4 year old that he is short. 

There are about 120 million single-family housing units in the US and there are about 500,000 homes with rooftop or ground mount systems today, about the same ratio as cited in the article concerning solar power production.  These homes enjoy a $0 or very low electric bill.  Therefore, as the solar market grows, its share of energy production will grow. 

In addition, there will be commercial solar installations, e.g. walmart roofs, and centralized utility installations.  A good analogy for the future of solar power is the network that makes up the world wide interweb.  There will be commercial power hubs (corporate data centers), utility power hubs (ISPs) and residential power hubs (your computer). These are connected by high-speed cable and fiber-optic lines (the grid), to produce plenty of power for most everyone.

To do something about this today, visit FreeCleanSolar  or SolarPanelsOnline.  You'll save money and help solve our energy challenges.


The GreenTech Media articles can be found here...

For Nuclear Power

Against Nuclear Power