Energy strategy: UK plans eight new nuclear reactors to boost production

Discussion in 'Current Events' started by Nonnie, Apr 7, 2022.

  1. Nonnie

    Nonnie Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    <THREAD TITLE EDITED TO MATCH LINKED ARTICLE>
    Trump was right that America should be energy self sufficient, the Left scoffed. He also warned Germany not to get so reliant on Russian gas, he was right again.

    The UK's gas imports, only 5% comes from Russia. But in the news today, it looks like government are mulling over 8 new nuclear reactors and upscale the renewables.

    I wouldn't bother with renewables, but certainly nuclear is the way forward.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61010605

    The other part in the link I agree with, the insulation in UK houses is poor, that goes for new build as well. If you build a new house and have to put underfloor heating/radiators and a central heating boiler in, you're building a crap insulated house.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 7, 2022
  2. balancing act

    balancing act Well-Known Member

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    Trump was right about a lot of things. It was how wrong he was on the others that cost him the 2020 election.
     
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  3. Pro_Line_FL

    Pro_Line_FL Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    LOL. I never heard anyone argue against US being self sufficient. US oil production nearly doubled under Obama and self suffiency was a key goal. Investment in alternative energies as heavily encouraged and then under Trump alternative energies was heavily discouraged, and oil industry went "all-in" only to suffer massive losses in 2020 and now (when we need them the most) they are afraid to repeat the mistake. We still export more than we import, but since we never stopped importing, the US has never been self sufficient, and probably won't be for some time.

    I agree about nuclear. We should have a balance or alternates, fossils and nuclear. As for Germany, their goal has been to have 80% or their energy from alternates and they have been working towards that goal (they are at 50%), so Trump running his mouth only made him look like an idiot. Germany gets about 7% of their energy from Russia, but alternatives is their long term plan.

    As for the British plan, - it seems to have a heavy emphasis on renewables too, and a goal of being 95% fossil fuel free in the future. Sounds like a good plan.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2022
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  4. Arkanis

    Arkanis Well-Known Member

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    The spin continues.

    Virtually nothing has changed in energy policy between the old and new administrations.
     
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  5. mdrobster

    mdrobster Well-Known Member

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    Fyi, renewable energy is here and will only increase in usage. If the UK wishes to invest more in nuclear, have at it.
     
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  6. RodB

    RodB Well-Known Member Donor

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    Maybe Germany should take the hint, but I doubt they will. Of course Germany does not have the North Sea advantage that the U.K. does.
     
  7. Zorro

    Zorro Well-Known Member

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    Actually it's Germany that doesn't look particularly bright at the moment:

    "WHEN THE EXPERTS TURN OUT TO BE" IDIOTS:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  8. RodB

    RodB Well-Known Member Donor

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    Among other things Germany went whole hog to save the planet with renewables, built windmills like crazy, destroyed fossil fueled power plants and decommissioned nuclear. They now have a shortage of electricity at some of the highest rate$ in the world.
     
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  9. drluggit

    drluggit Well-Known Member

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    Good for the Brits. It is time the US looked to their own house here.
     
  10. Nonnie

    Nonnie Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Germany gets 32% of their gas from Russia, and as renewables are not brilliant, Germany is in dire straits with their prices.

    I've always told my two boys as they grew up, everyone will let you down so never rely on anyone for anything. Germany struck a deal in the cold war with Russia for energy, it's bit them in the backside. Trump told Merkle and she ignored the advice. German's industries are talking about energy rationing, lol.

    Nuclear has always been the way forward, and once they can harness fusion, renewables need kicked out of the room.
     
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  11. Pro_Line_FL

    Pro_Line_FL Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Natural gas is 12% their total energy need, and if 32% of that is from Russia, then it means Russian gas is only 4% of their total energy need.

    Not sure if 4% translates to dire straits, but if you say so......

    They are talking up firing up the nuke plants they shut off recently, and that will take care of it.

    That would be fairly dumb. Norway gets over 95% of their energy needs from renewables, so it would be beyond foolish to trade that for nuclear.
     

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    Last edited: Apr 7, 2022
  12. ToughTalk

    ToughTalk Well-Known Member

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    Merkle was a ****ing idiot. It's a shame Germans are discovering this only now.
     
  13. HB Surfer

    HB Surfer Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    This is really smart by the UK. France has shown them the way for years and years and now with Russia getting crappy, France is like... "Meh.... we get 70% of our energy from Nuclear, have a good war Russia."

    The U.S. has been closing plants at an alarming rate and closing plants that are nearly brand new refurbished, or that have no issues and are running excellent, or cancelling new builds, because Democrats.

    The smartest path forward right now is this:

    (1) Natural Gas - It burns real clean and is real cheap
    (2) Modern Nuclear Plants (Large) - Great investment and amazing base load energy source
    (3) Small Modular Reactors (Nuclear) - Great for smaller communities and more remote communities. They can burn the was of larger nuclear plants as their fuel and require no power lines through forests.
    (4) Local Solar on all new builds (Homes / Commercial / Public Buildings) - No solar plants as those are for total morons that hate the environment, hate math, and hate cheap energy​

    You follow that path and your country will have cheap, clean, safe, and reliable energy for the next century as we figure out even better sources. This move away from nuclear by Germany and others is for pure idiots.
     
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  14. ToughTalk

    ToughTalk Well-Known Member

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    Maybe you haven't been to the gas pump lately?

    https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gasoline-prices

    upload_2022-4-7_13-40-56.png
    [​IMG]
    For a country that is gas independent what exactly is Biden doing to curtail these prices? Can't get SA on the phone, and domestic oil companies are playing hard ball. He's releasing reserves now because desperate, but we both know that won't last.

    Maybe if he didn't cut the pipeline project, he could hang that threat over the heads of oil companies to get them to increase production but right now he has nothing to threaten them with? Something Trump would have done. But then Trump could also get SA to dance to his tune as well.

    Oh well. Solved them mean tweets. (until Elon lol)
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2022
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  15. Arkanis

    Arkanis Well-Known Member

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    When I talk to a Conservative, I always get the impression that you think the US is the only country in the world.

    The Americans pay the least amount of gasoline of all the G20 nations.... except Russia.

    The war in Ukraine has caused prices to skyrocket, that's a fact.

    But you're using that as a political tool to attack Biden, when in fact it only shows that you're not able to pay $1-2 a gallon more to not fund Putin's war.
     
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  16. Zorro

    Zorro Well-Known Member

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    Well, Norway is an extremely heavy and wise user of Hydro Electric. And Hydro Electric is great stuff, in addition to electricity, it also provides water storage and flood control. The US Southwest should be series of hydroelectric projects from the Columbia to SoCal and the Snake to Hoover Dam.

    I take it that you fully support cutting all the red tape and getting these good clean green projects constructed as quickly as possible.

    Has France fully exploited their opportunities to benefit from hydroelectric?
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2022
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  17. ToughTalk

    ToughTalk Well-Known Member

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    Russia, whom is also oil independent. (remember they were in a full blown price war with SA until Trump stepped in and told them to knock that **** off)

    Is Russia hurting at the pump?

    upload_2022-4-7_14-51-4.png

    Doesn't look like it.

    We SHOULD be sheltered from high gas prices at the pump at the LEAST. But. You know? The domestic oil companies kinda don't like Biden. The first thing he did when he came into office was nix the pipeline and cut back on permits. So when he asks them for a favor, they don't have to jump to his tune. He holds nothing over them.
     
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  18. Nonnie

    Nonnie Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Norway? Only because of hydro. The likes of the UK are messing on with wind and solar
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2022
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  19. Pro_Line_FL

    Pro_Line_FL Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Sure, it makes sense to have multiple sources. Germany gets 50% from renewables, so it makes no sense whatsoever to throw it away.
     
  20. RodB

    RodB Well-Known Member Donor

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    Nobody says Germany should dismantle their wind farms like they did fossil fuel plants. They are already woefully short of electricity that costs the Germans about the highest rates in the western world because they said lets build windmills and get rid of the other stuff because some UN guy said that was a good idea. You missed the other point. You ballyhooed about Norway's 90% or so from "renewables". About 92% of Norway's electricity comes from hydro, a measly 6% from wind and 2% from geothermal. In the climate change debate renewables do not include hydro, though they do include some hydrocarbon burning generation.
     
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  21. Reasonablerob

    Reasonablerob Well-Known Member

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    Good, I hope they build one in Londonderry, maybe in Creggan?
     
  22. Junkieturtle

    Junkieturtle Well-Known Member Donor

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    I couldn't agree more. This is exactly what we should be doing here in the U.S.
     
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  23. US Conservative

    US Conservative Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Good to see some common sense from the limeys.
     
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  24. US Conservative

    US Conservative Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    She was born in West Germany and her family moved TO East Germany.
     
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  25. Arkanis

    Arkanis Well-Known Member

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    Of course not.

    Because Russia is in recession, I would even say that its economy is collapsing.

    When there is a recession, prices at the pump go down.

    The other G20 nations are growing... especially the US.

    That's conservative rhetoric.

    In reality, the price of gas has risen in ALL the major oil producing nations: Norway, Venezuela, Canada....

    But not Saudi Arabia. Why not? Because the King has frozen the prices.

    The idea that prices would be lower in the US if more oil was extracted does not hold water.

    For the simple reason that oil companies would export their stock if prices were lower in the domestic market.

    The proof is that when prices at the pump are lower, the oil companies take advantage of this to stock up.
     
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