DiaNuke.org

In an attempt to negotiate these contending positions, a frequent mantra is that energy strategies should “do everything” in order to address the climate emergency. But – as a number of commentators have noted (for example, here and here) – this would actually be a highly irrational course of action.

Where “doing everything” involves making investments that are slower or less cost effective, which divert resources away from preferable options, or which in some other way impede them, the result would be potentially disastrous for carbon emissions mitigation.

Myth: We need to build more nuclear power if we want to cut electricity emissions quickly and turn off coal and natural gas power plants. Short answer: Renewables can grow fast because they can be installed practically everywhere rapidly and simultaneously.

I recently wrote about—and debunked—the renewables “disinformation campaign” that spreads misinformed and falsely negative stories about the growth of renewable energy. A special focus of such disinformation has been reportage on Germany’s efficiency-and-renewables revolution.

The government should give way to greater allocation of funds for development of appropriate technologies for generation of power from these sources instead of spending disproportionately on setting up nuclear plants as it is doing today.