My view: Nuclear power, not renewable energy, is risky course for U.S.

By Arjun Makhijani

Published: Sunday, Feb. 10 2008 12:21 a.m. MST

Summary

Given the seriousness of the climate crisis, many thoughtful people, including Deseret Morning News Editor Joe Cannon, have argued that coal cannot be the source of our energy growth

The notion that renewable energy cannot supply the electricity requirements of the United States has been widely put forward without careful technical evaluation. On the contrary, it is nuclear that is the risky course. If the state of Utah is going to use its resources to encourage new electricity sources, a renewable portfolio standard of 25 percent by 2025 would help. And it could begin by installing solar panels on the parking lots and rooftops of its own buildings.

Arjun Makhijani is president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Takoma Park, Md. He earned his doctorate degree in electrical engineering from the University of California-Berkeley, where he specialized in nuclear fusion. Makhijani is author of "Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy" and a consultant to a number of electric utilities including the Tennessee Valley Authority.

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Dave

Missing from this equasion, is the fact that wind and solar gobble up large tracts of land, and provide sporadic elec. Also whith todays technology they cannot provide the elec. used in manufacturing, which is were the majority of elec. is used.

8:06 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
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If we weren't so dumb

If we would reprocess and reuse our nuclear waste as many foreign countries do, we would have more nuclear fuel to burn and less nuclear waste. Also there is serious talk of burying much of the nuclear waste near Salt Lake City. Why so close to a More..

8:38 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
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Anon

There are too many unsupported assertions, and questionable propositions, in this article to take it seriously.

9:12 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
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