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Videos on Nuclear Energy & Nuclear Waste

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR, ENVIRONMENT — 18.JAN.2015

Fairewinds Energy Education

Debate: Should Nuclear Energy Be Expanded to Help Create a More Sustainable Future? — Given the seriousness of the climate challenge—of the need to get to a zero-carbon future—does nuclear need to play an expanded role in the world's energy matrix? This was the question that Hofstra University posed to a debate panel in late 2014. Arnie Gundersen of Fairewinds was among the debaters who discussed the environmental, fiscal, and policy issues pertaining to the expansion of nuclear energy.
Watch  |  Download/listen   1:31:10

GP comment:  Even if one assumed sufficient additional nuclear capacity could be brought online in time to make a difference for climate mitigation—it can't—the answer is still "hell no." Gundersen had a couple of great lines; here is one: Nuclear proponents have faith that humans are smart enough to figure out how to store radioactive nuclear waste for a quarter million years. Alternative energy proponents have faith that humans are smart enough to figure out how to store electricity overnight.

Original Show Pub Date: 20.Nov.2014

CATEGORY:  RESILIENCE, NUCLEAR — 03.JAN.2015

Fairewinds Energy Education

Solar EMP—Beautiful Skies with Devastating Repercussions — Sometimes the most beautiful natural phenomena can have devastating consequences. When the sun ejects hot charged particles into space, the Northern Lights are created here on Earth. Occasionally, the sun erupts with such huge quantities of particles—a coronoal mass ejection—that electronics and electrical grids can be damaged. Mat Stein and Arnie Gundersen discuss the dangers to our electrical systems and nuclear power plants worldwide from a large coronal mass ejection.
Watch  |  Download/listen   30:50

GP comment:  Stein reviews a number of little-know previous major coronal-mass-ejection events and gives us the math that shows that we are overdue for another one.

Original Show Pub Date: 11.Sep.2014

CATEGORY:  NUCLEAR — 02.NOV.2014

Radio EcoShock

Want to Kill Nuclear? Get Solar — Arnie Gundersen updates us on Fukushima-related issues as well as the cozy relationship between the US Nuclear Regulatory Agency and the nuclear power industry, with safety and sensibility being routinely sacrified. Gundersen also says that those who want to hasten the demise of nuclear power should install solar panels, which produce their power during peak-load times. Peak-load times are the only times nuclear power plants make money. Deprive them of that, and (maybe) they will be driven to closure by poor economics.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   37:04

GP comment:  Gundersen mentions solar electric explicitly as a weapon in the fight against nuclear, but solar hot water is also a great technology and is cost effective for homeowners over the lifespan of the system.

Original Show Pub Date: 29.Oct.2014

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