Lund debate focuses on nuclear power, climate change
Kammen, a nuclear physicist, argued that nuclear energy has proved far riskier and costlier than its champions would like to admit. With better technology, better management and better oversight, he said, it might be part of a sensible energy mix in the future. But getting there will take decades, while solar, wind, biofuels and other renewables can be ramped up immediately.
“We have one generation to solve this,” he said, referring to climate change.
Kammen’s group at Berkeley has developed hundreds of models for integrated energy systems that meet greenhouse gas emissions targets with no nuclear power. Many of these rely heavily on distributed power, in which electricity is generated close to where it is used.
“It’s really about building systems, not about peddling a technology,” he said.
Muranen said he’s a committed environmentalist who used to work for the anti-nuclear organization Greenpeace. He agreed with Kammen that climate change is the most urgent challenge facing the planet. It’s that urgency, he said, that made him rethink his position on nuclear energy.
“We have one generation to solve this,” he said, referring to climate change.
Kammen’s group at Berkeley has developed hundreds of models for integrated energy systems that meet greenhouse gas emissions targets with no nuclear power. Many of these rely heavily on distributed power, in which electricity is generated close to where it is used.
“It’s really about building systems, not about peddling a technology,” he said.
Muranen said he’s a committed environmentalist who used to work for the anti-nuclear organization Greenpeace. He agreed with Kammen that climate change is the most urgent challenge facing the planet. It’s that urgency, he said, that made him rethink his position on nuclear energy.
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