Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere just hit a 'depressing' new record(www.scientificamerican.com)
19 pointsby rolph6 hours ago5 comments
  • leonidasrup4 hours ago
    All this new scalable renewable energy sources such as solar and wind (biomass is not scalable and hydro, geothermal depend on geology) are not cheap enough to compete with fossil fuels for industrial applications. Energy not electricity. 1 GJ of heat from coal is still cheaper than 1 GJ of electicity from solar, especially when needed 24/7.

    There many countries in the global south with large populations which want to grow and don't have enough energy

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_energy_co...

    We need very cheap nuclear power not only for electricity, but also for heating, water desalination, hydrogen production, CO2 capture.

    • kevin0612 hours ago
      Nuclear is indeed the answer. Nuclear power is incredibly safe nowadays and it also provides kinetic inertia, something that solar and wind power lack (they are all DC based and only produce AC when using an inverter, which is wasteful too).

      Unfortunately I think it's already too late for nuclear. People who don't understand energy grids are voting for anti-nuclear policies, with very predictable results.

    • hdgvhicv3 hours ago
      Nuclear costs far more per kWh than solar/Wind plus storage

      Yes we need lots more electric. Nuclear isn’t the answer.

      • citrin_ru43 minutes ago
        Nuclear is an answer along with other sources. Opposition to nuclear by the Green Party in the UK is a self-sabotage IMHO. They may argue how limited government subsidies should be allocated but outright opposition to nuclear energy is just stupid to me.
  • znpy20 minutes ago
    Maybe at some point we’ll all pull our collective head out of our collective ass and will start going all in on nuclear (along side solar and wind power).

    It will still be late, but better late than never.

  • pjmlpan hour ago
    Yes, and all the paper straws in the world isn't going to save it, between wars, attacks on critical infrastructure and AI overlords.
  • antibull5 hours ago
    [dead]
  • aaron6954 hours ago
    [dead]