[cdn-nucl-l] Re: We can't afford nuclear by Cameron Smith, Toronto Star

[Bill Garland <garlandw@mcmaster.ca>]

FYI, Bill
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We can't afford nuclear
Jun. 24, 2006. 12:12 PM
CAMERON SMITH


In a devastating analysis of nuclear power, Amory Lovins, head of the
Rocky Mountain Institute in Denver, Colo., has concluded that it is the
least cost-effective way to meet electricity needs, and the worst
possible solution for moderating climate change.

I wish I had found his study earlier — it was published last September
and updated in January — because, just maybe, a focus on it might have
persuaded Queen's Park to alter its decision to spend $46 billion (at
today's prices) on refurbishing and adding to Ontario's existing array of
nuclear reactors.

Spending this amount of money on nuclear means there'll be precious
little left to promote alternatives. The study is available at

http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid171.php — from the library of
publications choose Nuclear power: economics and climate-protection
potential.

Lovins' argument is that, first, you get more bang for the buck
installing alternatives. And, second, there's a long lead time for
building nuclear reactors — 10 to 15 years — yet what's needed are fast
and big cuts in carbon dioxide (CO{-2}) emissions. Nuclear offers too
little, too late, he says. 

To simplify his first point, he says that an outlay of 10 cents could
deliver:

1 kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity from a nuclear reactor (assuming
that all government subsidies remained in place).

1.2 to 1.7 kWh from wind turbines (with no subsidies).

2.4 to 8.9 kWh from cogeneration (production of heat and
electricity).

Up to 10 kWh of electricity by improving electricity end-use efficiency —
using less electricity, often by replacing equipment, appliances,
lighting and heating with more efficient alternatives, plus the reduction
in demand that comes with shifting of the economy from high-demand
manufacturing to lower demand businesses.

In short, he says, building nuclear reactors is uneconomic. Alternatives
are leading in the global marketplace and are growing 10 times faster, he
says.

Nuclear power, is "a dying industry, fading from the marketplace,
overtaken and humbled by swifter rivals." In fact, it's so
uncompetitive that "the trickle of orders observed worldwide all
come from centrally planned electricity systems," he says.

What it comes down to is this: a dollar spent on nuclear power does less
to reduce CO{-2} emissions than a dollar spent on alternatives. Or, as
Lovins puts it: "Every $100 invested in nuclear would effectively
release an additional tonne of CO{-2} into the atmosphere."

However, as far as climate change in concerned, that barely matters,
because climate change is not going to put itself on hold while Ontario
spends 10 to 15 years building nuclear plants. Lovins says the main
emphasis should be on improving electricity efficiency.

Ralph Torrie of ICF International in Toronto, one of Canada's top experts
in energy and conservation, calculates that between 1990 and 2004,
end-use efficiency in Ontario freed up the equivalent of 5,000 megawatts
of generating capacity. That's four times the amount of new generating
capacity actually added during the same period. So, the potential of this
alternative is enormous.

It's obvious, then, that instead of pouring money into nuclear plants,
Queen's Park could meet its goals far quicker, with less risk and fewer
potential problems by helping people and businesses move to greater
efficiency in electricity use.

As Lovins says: "If you worry about climate change, it is essential
to buy the fastest and most effective climate solutions. Nuclear power is
just the opposite."


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Cameron Smith can be reached at camsmith@kingston.net.

Bill Garland, Executive Director of UNENE and Professor, Dept. of Engineering Physics, Bldg. NRB 117, McMaster University,  Hamilton, Ontario, CANADA L8S 4L7, Tel: (905)525-9140 x24925 Fax: (905)528-4339 Email: garlandw@mcmaster.ca
Web:< www.nuceng.ca> < http://canteach.candu.org> <www.unene.ca>