| After years of warning the world about global | | | | |
| warming and its dire consequences, Al Gore, | | | | This new type of reactor must be designed to |
| the Nobel Prize winner, has finally taken the | | | | be absolutely safe by installing both passive |
| next, logical step. He is proposing a | | | | and redundant safety systems. Retrofit |
| solution. | | | | reactors should become available in a very |
| | | | few, standardized designs and in sizes that |
| Mr. Gore has realized that conservation | | | | fit up with the predominant sizes of coal |
| measures and "Cap and Trade" measures do not | | | | fired boilers in use. |
| work. The world can be saved only, if we | | | | |
| completely eliminate all carbon dioxide | | | | While the US will be replacing, retrofitting, |
| emissions during the next forty years. | | | | or shutting down its fossil fuel fired |
| | | | plants, it is an opportune time to prepare |
| Converting the electric power generating | | | | the US to regain its independence from |
| sector first, does make the most sense. All | | | | foreign oil imports. |
| major technologies for generating electric | | | | |
| power from renewable energy sources are in | | | | Very soon, such activity can save the US more |
| various stages of development. Installations | | | | than one trillion dollars annually. Past |
| using wind power, solar energy, geothermal | | | | experience shows that petroleum prices and |
| heat, and marine power have been started up | | | | consumption of transportation fuels will |
| and are slowly gaining a measurable foothold. | | | | maintain their unstoppable growths. |
| | | | |
| At present, coal fired power plants generate | | | | Ideally, the world will continue using its |
| the least expensive electricity. Therefore, | | | | fleets of cars, trucks, trains, ships, and |
| market forces will never lead to the shutdown | | | | airplanes. Ideally, the world will keep its |
| of the most egregious greenhouse gas | | | | oil refineries operating and will preserve |
| emitters. Only legislative action can | | | | the huge distribution systems that deliver |
| prevent the construction of any new, coal | | | | high quality liquid fuels to all corners of |
| fired power plants. | | | | the world. Replacement of transportation |
| | | | fleets, oil refineries, and liquid fuel |
| We must also be aware that it will be very | | | | distribution systems will cost too much and |
| difficult to satisfy our growing electricity | | | | may break the economies of even the richest |
| demand by building only windmill farms, solar | | | | countries. |
| plantations, and geothermal power plants. | | | | |
| For many years to come, there will not be | | | | We must realize that the world cannot live |
| enough manufacturing capacity to build an | | | | for more than a few weeks without |
| adequate number of electric power plants | | | | transportation of foods, goods, and |
| using renewable energies. Initially, the | | | | commodities. Famines, riots, and economic |
| capital costs of these plants will be high, | | | | upheavals will become unavoidable |
| risks for meeting rated output will be well | | | | consequences of the lack of plentiful and |
| above average, and elevated maintenance costs | | | | affordable transportation fuels. |
| will be a common experience. | | | | |
| | | | To protect against such looming, economic |
| We also need to address a few unresolved | | | | disasters, the US must take the lead and |
| technical issues. The most pressing one is | | | | learn how to produce petroleum substitutes |
| the fact that both wind power and solar power | | | | from biomass. Recent events have taught us |
| can supply energy only on an interruptible | | | | that we must never again abuse arable lands |
| basis. Electric power is a fleeting | | | | to make ethanol or diesel from food crops. |
| commodity and we have not yet developed | | | | |
| technologies that are capable of storing | | | | Instead, we must find plant species with very |
| large amounts of electric energy. | | | | high energy contents and must grow these |
| | | | plants on arid and infertile lands. By using |
| It seems unavoidable that nuclear power | | | | desalinated water and novel industrial |
| generation must assume a more substantial | | | | farming techniques one can grow enough |
| role during the next decades. Nuclear power | | | | biomass to supply the entire world with |
| has become safer and public resistance to | | | | transportation fuels for several centuries. |
| nuclear power plants is slowly receding. | | | | Arid lands are abundant. Best of all, making |
| Nuclear power plants can be installed faster | | | | petroleum substitutes from renewable biomass |
| once we begin to rely more on standardized | | | | sources will not have to cost more than $50 |
| reactor designs. | | | | per barrel. |
| | | | |
| Nuclear reactors with smaller capacities need | | | | Building plants for the domestic production |
| to be built as replacements for coal fired | | | | of electric power and of transportation fuels |
| plant boilers. Huge amounts of capital and | | | | from renewable energies will make the US |
| much time can be saved if existing coal | | | | strategically more secure, will make us |
| plants can be retrofitted with steam produced | | | | economically stronger, will reduce global |
| in nuclear reactors to replace coal fired | | | | greenhouse gas emissions by one quarter, will |
| boilers. Steam turbines, generators, | | | | create a huge number of jobs, and will pay |
| substations, administrative buildings, and | | | | for itself by producing large, domestic |
| cooling towers can continue their operation | | | | revenues for many decades to come. |
| with only minor performance reductions. | | | | |