The Biden administration has updated the roadmap for solar development to 22 million acres of federal lands in the US West.

The US government opens 22 million acres of federal lands to solar::The Biden administration has updated the roadmap for solar development to 22 million acres of federal lands in the US West.

  • BronzedBonobo@midwest.socialEnglish
    11·
    10 months ago

    So I guess we’re not going to do the smart thing, going nuclear, and instead landscape more of the country.

    • angelsomething@lemmy.oneEnglish
      21·
      10 months ago

      Nuclear would be best I agree, but it takes 20+year to build a station and by the time it’s online, it’s already obsolete. Plus the whole nuclear waste issue. I’ve been hearing about thorium rectors for the past 25yrs and they’re still not building them. The biggest concern with renewables right now is grid integration.

          • IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.worldEnglish
            0·
            10 months ago

            I disagree, it is a simple issue: Do you want to pay way more than you need to for electricity?

            “These stark differences are echoed in the most recent Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis by Lazard, a leading financial advisory and asset management firm. Their findings suggest that the cost per kilowatt (KW) for utility-scale solar is less than $1,000, while the comparable cost per KW for nuclear power is between $6,500 and $12,250. At present estimates, the Vogtle nuclear plant will cost about $10,300 per KW, near the top of Lazard’s range. This means nuclear power is nearly 10 times more expensive to build than utility-scale solar on a cost per KW basis.”

            https://www.energysage.com/about-clean-energy/nuclear-energy/solar-vs-nuclear/

            "“Nuclear power is irrelevant in today’s electricity capacity market,” the report’s main author, French nuclear consultant Mycle Schneider, told pv magazine, noting that power generation from nuclear power dropped by 4%, while non-hydro renewables increased by 13%.

            According to the report, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of solar PV dropped by approximately 90% over the past few years, while the LCOE of nuclear energy climbed by around 33%."

            https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/09/28/renewables-vs-nuclear-256-0/

            • BronzedBonobo@midwest.socialEnglish
              0·
              10 months ago

              Your first link is from a solar company. Mycle Schneider is a “self-taught anti-nuclear activist”. Cherry picking does make things simple.

              But regardless, it’s worth considering the self-fulfilling prophecy. Starting with the state of public discourse leading to tax-incentives heavily favoring solar and wind. And how these articles’ statements exclude all manner of externalities.