Nuclear Iran?

[Rhizomorph13]

Fr0d0,

...hardly equates to the environmental impact of a Nuclear Power Plant.

Can you support that assertion? It sounds like you are basing it on your own understanding and all the bad press that nuclear energy has gotten over the years, which I am tempted to agree with, because it sounds more reasonable and would be a common assumption. It sounds like Adrian might have a better data source though.

Wind energy sounds so clean, but that is probably a romantic notion as well as a great political tool to get votes. A careful study might yield results that show wind energy as being a waste of resources. I'm certainly not saying you are wrong because I don't have data to support my idea, just pointing out the need for data really.

Adrian,

Wind Turbines damage the environment more than you think.

Can you support this assertion? It goes against what is normally believed but I have looked into both Ethanol, hydrogen fuel cell, and electric vehicles to know that ideas that sound good aren't necessarily better than the existing tech.

Rhizo

[fr0d0]

Well I was going to but thought people wouldn't assume that - ah well...

I'm certainly not talking about what Adrian correctly stated about human error and the fact that Nuclear Power Plants are quite safe. I'm talking about the physical impact of the huge installations - far greater I would thing than the disruption in the air and to sound around turbines in wind farms. Sellafield, for example covers a huge area and dominates the landscape like a gargantuan factory. How you can call wind turbines ugly and that not I can't comprehend.

Sure there's the environmental impact on wildlife. The turbines need deep foundations, the blades kill birds. I live in a rural area where the hippy fringe led and still lead the push for the technology. They're a forceful group who champion other envornmental concerns so I don't think they'd get it wrong.

Our area in Wales is on the verge of hosting a huge new windfarm development. We've seen plans for road development to ship in the turbines and routes for the power grids to ship out the electricity. We already have many smaller windfarms.

[Rhizomorph13]

Yeah, because people who strongly believe things NEVER get things wrong...

Rhizo

[fr0d0]

Here's a myth buster about wind generation from friends of the earth: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/wind_myths.pdf

[Tiberius]

Great, use a source of green activists. That's like asking Greenpeace for their views on the whaling industry and acting like it is top notch information. These people have their own views, and they will never admit that wind power is useless.

The only people who can reasonably be trusted are scientists who make blind trials.

[fr0d0]

Granted. I don't see tho' why they would necessarily not support the greenest option be that nuclear or wind. Surely the greenest solution is what we're after here?

[Rhizomorph13]

Fr0d0,

Good information it answered some of my questions and yet doesn't do enough to compare and contrast Wind energy with Nuclear energy. Ahh well, it all depends on how well y

[theblindferrengi]

Wind turbines en masse have started changing wind patterns in the midwestern USA, this is dangerous. Also what to do with broken wind turbines is more of a problem than using spent nuclear fuel, as the wind turbines are so enourmous. Also wind generation is far less efficent than nuclear power plants.

Nuclear power plants can blow up, but that is from human error. Nuclear plants produce far more power than wind turbines, and don't take up so much space. The spent nuclear fuel used to be a problem in the older reactors, but in the new technology there is virtually no waste, and what little there is, we can use in other applications for other things. People who are uninformed about nuclear technology will, like anything they are uninformed about, think it is bad for [rumor of the day] reasons. In the United States, all the nuclear power plants are outdated and produce alot of waste, and so alot of United Statesians think that all new plants would produce alot of waste. It really doesen't help that no new plants have been constructed there in almost 30 I think years.

[Eilonnwy]

It is the height of hypocrisy that countries with nuclear power are telling other countries they simply cannot have it.

It might be hypocritical, but you cannot ignore the fact that there are severe implications to a nation with an Islamic regime gaining these weapon capabilities. There is a legitimate fear that the weapons will be used against Israel or America. We know what violent acts the Muslims can do. I will never forget sitting in my history class watching the towers fall on 9/11, thousands of people dying. Is the issue as simple as "Muslims are bad people and we can't trust them with anything?" No. But this situation is more delicate that people saying "I can have it but you can't." There is a real threat when you weigh the past actions of the Islamic community and you have a crazy president like Ahmadinejad. You're facing the real possibility he may use these weapons against other people.

---

Wind Turbines damage the environment more than you think. They create an eyesore, are incredibly annoying,

Ridiculous argument. The aesthetic beauty of something that is a great resource producer does not devalue what it does. There is a wind turbine near where I live, and I personality love it. I think wind turbine farms are beautiful. And guess what? Offshore wind turbines, you don't even see them. They're too far off shore.

I personally think factories are eyesores, but you don't see them getting rid of factories because of it.

and have been linked to the death of many animals and insects which rely on certain sounds to get around.

There is truth in that statement. Actually the turbines hurt bats a lot not because of the sound but because of the sudden change in pressure it makes their blood vessels pop, I believe. Of course when does that stop humans from doing anything? (Not to say it's right)

Regardless, scientists are working on ways to lessen the environmental impact on wildlife. Wind turbines aren't perfect, I agree, but they are still a great new resource.

[Rhizomorph13]

Why not get power from where the wind is strongest:

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries...908#Replay

Rhizo