IAEA chief says German return to nuclear power is 'logical' – DW – 11/14/2024
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Rafael Grossi said he was "not surprised" there was renewed debate in Germany about bringing nuclear power stations back online. Germany is the only country to have a complete phase out of its nuclear plants.

Summary

Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA, called Germany’s decision to fully phase out nuclear power “illogical,” noting it is the only country to have done so.

Despite the completed phase-out in 2023, there is renewed debate in Germany about reviving nuclear energy due to its low greenhouse gas emissions.

Speaking at COP29, Grossi described reconsidering nuclear as a “rational” choice, especially given global interest in nuclear for emissions reduction.

Germany’s phase-out, driven by environmental concerns and past nuclear disasters, has been criticized for increasing reliance on Russian gas and missing carbon reduction opportunities.

  • DerGottesknecht@feddit.orgEnglish
    83·
    16 hours ago

    Baseload is an antiquated concept that doesn’t work with lots of renewables. Battery storage may be not completely feasible yet, but look at California to see that it has the potential to be ready faster than we can build new npps.

    • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      104·
      15 hours ago

      Baseload is an antiquated concept that doesn’t work with lots of renewables. Battery storage may be not completely feasible yet, but look at California to see that it has the potential to be ready faster than we can build new npps.

      “Baseload” is still needed. Renewables are great but they are simply not there yet. There is a world between “potential” and “available”.

      • DerGottesknecht@feddit.orgEnglish
        41·
        15 hours ago

        Yeah, right now. But not in 10 years when the first npps could be ready. And you would also need storage for npps when there is a lot of wind or sun, cause you can’t shut down the npps all the time or thermal stresses will cause damages to the pipes. And renewables are here now, it’s the storage that needs to catch up.

              • DerGottesknecht@feddit.orgEnglish
                1·
                40 minutes ago

                Do you know how old they were? We would have to shut them down anyway because they started reaching end of life. There was no new project for decades already. It’s a complicated political situation and it’s fucking arrogant for you to come in, scream about “nUcLeAr Is BesT” without knowing the details. Even the energy companies didn’t want to keep the plants running at the end. So please let us try to do our Energiewende, we progressives in Germany have enough trouble with our stupid conservatives