The Unknown Costs Of Using Fossil Fuel

Go back 30 years and you’ll see that the green movement was positively anti-nuclear. It seems strange that 30 years on some of the very same people are placing their hopes on nuclear power to prevent global warming. It may be that we have no choice other than to go Nuclear but we have to ask the question “why aren’t we placing more emphasis on cleaner types of energy?” Some governments (Denmark is a case in point) have already come a long way in harnessing cleaner and safer types of energy including both Solar Power Systems and Wind farms. They have had great success so you have to ask why other countries are placing their hopes on Nuclear Power?

The old problems associated with Nuclear Power have by no means gone away. It is still an intrinsically dangerous form of energy and we still have no viable solution to removing nuclear waste! What is keeping us from moving to other forms of energy?

The common argument is that the cost of switching to renewable energy is far more expensive than sticking with fossil fuels. But what of those unspoken costs staying with fossil fuels or moving over to nuclear power?

It is common knowledge that our fossil fuel resources are running out. With the demand for energy set to increase there is only one possible outcome. More price increases! On the other hand, the energy provided by the Sun, Wind and Water is free and will be there for a very long time.

Utilising cleaner forms of energy may not be cost effective at the moment but future developments will surely lead to greater efficiency. For instance, take solar technology. As semiconductor technology moves forward in leaps and bounds, solar panels are becoming ever more efficient. It wasn’t that long ago solar panels could only be used with any effectiveness in warmer climates. Today, we see them being used in many types of environment. Indeed, the science of solar technology has advanced so much people are investing in their own DIY Solar systems. If individuals think it worth their while to build and install their own solar power systems then why can’t it be done on a wider scale.

The financial considerations of sticking with current energy resources is not just limited to supply. We will have to deal with CO2 emissions or the removal of nuclear waste material, a cost that will be with us for many years. Alternative forms of energy like Hydro, solar and wind power are all clean and pollutant free. Future generations will not have to pay for what we do now. The cost of short term thinking is a high price to pay for the future of mankind. Let’s keep nuclear power at a distance. The Sun would be far enough.

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