By Jack Dini ——Bio and Archives--October 15, 2024

Cover Story | CFP Comments | Reader Friendly | Subscribe | Email Us

Germany launched an ambitious plan to transition to renewable energy at the dawn of the millennium. ‘Die Energiewende’ initiated a massive expansion of solar and wind power, resulting in a commendable 25 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2022 compared to 2002. (1)

But while Energiewende slashed pollution through building out renewable energy sources, it also phased out Germany’s fleet of safe, carbon-free nuclear power plants, a longtime goal of environmental activists afraid of nuclear’s salient, but in actuality small, dangers. The result has been a boondoggle for consumers and for the environment.

In 2002, nuclear power supplied about a fifth of Germany’s electricity. Twenty-one years later, it supplied none. A layperson might think that cheap wind and solar could simply fill the gap, but it isn’t so simple. Once up and running, nuclear reactors provide reliable, affordable base-load power, electricity that’s available all the time. Ephemeral renewables simply can’t match nuclear’s consistency. And since an advanced economy like Germany’s requires a 100 percent........

© Canada Free Press