快猫短视频

NUCLEAR power may have had its day. The best way to cut carbon pollution and
tackle global warming is to replace oil and coal-fired power stations with
renewable energy sources, says a draft British government review leaked to
快猫短视频. Nuclear power is simply too dangerous and expensive.

The review attempts to lay out Britain鈥檚 energy strategy for the next 50
years. If the government accepts its recommendations, Britain will become one of
the most environmentally friendly energy producers in the world.

The long-awaited study had been widely expected to embrace the nuclear
industry鈥檚 plans for up to 15 new nuclear stations. Instead, it relegates
nuclear power to an also-ran that could be totally phased out by 2050 if
renewable sources deliver as expected.

This happens under both main scenarios put forward in the study. One,
labelled 鈥済lobal sustainability鈥�, assumes government intervention by regulation
and financial incentives, leading to a 30 per cent contribution from renewables
and a 60 per cent cut in carbon emissions. The alternative 鈥渨orld markets鈥�
scenario envisages a big rise in oil and gas consumption driven by consumer
demand, resulting in a 20 per cent increase in carbon pollution
(see Chart).

Public fears about nuclear safety seem to have influenced the review, which
was undertaken by the Cabinet鈥檚 Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU). The
technology has 鈥渁n uncertain role鈥�, the report says, 鈥渟ince concerns about
radioactive waste, accidents, terrorism and proliferation may limit or preclude
its use鈥�. It also wants the cost of insuring against accidents and disposing of
radioactive waste to be borne by nuclear stations rather than the
government.

This makes nuclear power very expensive. It is estimated that it will cost
3.0 to 4.5 pence per kilowatt-hour by 2020, compared with 1.5 to 2.4 p/kWh for
onshore wind power. Combined heat and power comes in at 1.6 to 2.4 p/kWh and
gas-fired generation at 1.8 to 2.1 p/kWh. 鈥淣owhere in the world have new nuclear
stations yet been financed within a liberalised electricity market,鈥� the report
points out.

The report is enthusiastic about the potential of renewable energy, which it
says is the most flexible way to reduce carbon emissions. It suggests producing
at least 20 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020, compared
with the current target of 10 per cent by 2010. That could be achieved by
massively expanding the number of wind turbines on land and offshore, and by
introducing wave power and underwater tidal generators.

This is backed by another government study published this week, suggesting
that Scotland on its own could produce 60 gigawatts of renewable power,
three-quarters of Britain鈥檚 installed generating capacity.

It also urges the government to encourage the development of combined heat
and power, which uses the heat from electricity generation rather than wasting
it, and to set a target for a 20 per cent improvement in domestic energy
efficiency by 2010.

The report will be a bitter disappointment to the nuclear industry, which had
been expecting it to kick-start a nuclear renaissance. But it does urge the
government to contribute to international efforts to design cheaper, safer
reactors, and to ensure that Britain鈥檚 nuclear regulators are 鈥渁dequately
staffed鈥� to assess them.

Nick Goodall, chief executive of the British Wind Energy Association says he
is delighted by the report. But Malcolm Grimston, a senior research fellow at
the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, who used to work in the
nuclear industry, warns that it might be too optimistic about the prospects for
renewables鈥攋ust as the nuclear industry was about its technology 30 years
ago.