"Michael Tobis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> The transcript of an interesting speech that Mr Gore made today is
> available at
>
> http://thinkprogress.org/gore-nyu
>
> It includes a relatively brief but thoughtful section arguing that
> nuclear power is not likely to be a large part of carbon emissions
> restraint.
>
> He also argues that a substantial revenue neutral carbon tax be
> substituted for payroll taxes.
>
> mt
True, for the reasons mentioned, nuclear power may not likely be a large
part of carbon emissions restraint, and if not, then carbon emissions
restraint will likely fail to stabilize atmospheric concentrations of CO2
below 600 ppmv by 2100. Both stabilization scenarios A1T and B1 count on an
immediate increase in the pace of new nuclear plant construction to a level
that exceeds the rate achieved during the late 1970s and early 1980s .
Gore's mild objections to nuclear rest on the capital costs of large
construction projects and nuclear weapons proliferation. Gore says nuclear
plants only come in one size "extra large", which is false: Westinghouse has
prelicensed AP600 and AP1000 designs, either of which would be a suitable
replacement for medium (600 MW) or large (1000 MW) base-load coal plants,
which are being built at a rate of about 150 per year world wide, like it or
not.
Monetizing carbon emissions will tilt the base-load electric power plant
construction equation in favor of nuclear, at which time the economic
objections will no longer apply. As for proliferation, most of the new
nuclear plants will need to be installed in countries that already have both
nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons, so "nuclear club" membership would
not necessarily grow.
Although Gore, mindful of his electorate, chooses not to voice vigorous
support for nuclear power, carbon taxes will be a stronger support than
speeches.
-dl
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